so solly chollie

too bad so sad

Ivory Coast again. Liberia, Senegal, Congo, Uganda. Somalia, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, etc,etc,etc. If those bastards that call themselved the U.N. were worth a cracker they might start justifying their highly paid positions in New York and DO something positive toward world peace. Those crazies in 9/11 got the wrong building.

thought that this was going to be about the USA

In the 90's the government there hired South African merc's to help stablilize the country. That's exactly what they did till Bill Clinton and other world leaders and the UN (not exactly a world leader) objected because they were made to look bad, (not hard to do). The merc's left and the Blue Helmuts moved in. Then the rapes, murders, and any number of atrocities started back up. Here we are again. Thousands of men, women and children will be slaughtered. Where are the HOLLYWOOD stars?? Guess you have to be WORTHY.

Thought this was about USA too.

No OIL no BOMBS. Except for Saudi Arabia, they are our friends.

Have any of you all been to the Ivory Coast? Does any one out there know their history? For a few dollars you can live like a king there, with many maid-servants.

Through the work of Billy and Melinda they do not have to worry about AIDS. Billy, are you going to concern yourself with these issues? I have not heard a word from you about them?

The photograph of the man with his shirt pulled up reveals " the amulets he wears to protect himself from enemy fire..."

And all these years I thought they were worn as protection from AIDS and other STD s.

Aww, c'mon Mr. Obama/Mrs. Clinton. What's one more war? I am sure that although it might offend the sensibility of real American citizens that you, Mr. President, would have absolutely no compunction about sending the young men and women of the United States to fight and die in another Third World country. Just think, you could secure the cocoa supply for Nestle (a European company) and it would get those pesky conservative members of the Armed Forces out of the states where you and your supporters can harness their right to vote using absentee ballots. Go for it!!!!!

I think its interesting the article only mentioned once that the side inciting all the violence are christians.

Guess we wont be hammering home the point that christians are just as evil as muslims...huh?

Do they have oil? If they do I can see helping one side out. If not I don't see the point. There is precedent. Libya.

The world burns as Barack handicaps his basketball teams. Seriously, despite calls for ending bloodshed and protecting the innocent, we cannot and should not get involved. These conflicts around the world will run their course and, yes, cost the lives of many thousands but there is little to nothing we can or should do.

We are a nation in decline with insurmountable problems of our own and must stop pretending we are still the pre-eminent superpower and policeman of the world.

I too initially thought the article would be about the USA. But the civil war we HAVE will probably not be the one we NEED. We don't need a north vs south, white vs black, democrats vs republicans war. We need an anal retentive spoiled self righteous jerks vs decent hard working freedom loving rational people war. That may well pit neighbor against neighbor.

I have the right to live whatever sick twisted idea of Utopia I can create IN MY OWN BACKYARD without having to live your sick twisted idea of Utopia because you gto enough votes to shove it down my throat.

I have the right to take whatever chances I want with my own life AS LONG AS I DON"T ENDANGER YOURS without your harassment or interference.

I have the right to spend my money however I wish without YOU stealing it by taxation to fund whatever whacked out social experiment you came up with this year. If I want to fund a cause or foreign country, I can do that of my own volition.

I have a right to voice my opinion in a civil manner without going to jail (as I did in domestic court when I was jailed for contempt of court for 2 years).

My children (even grandchildren at this point) have a right to a future WITHOUT the astronomical debt that the selfish masses in the USA are saddling them with.

I would gladly die for the above causes if only my death would accomplish something (I can't say I would kill too without risking being banned by newsvine again for stating my conviction, not to mention my ever expanding FBI file). That's where the next US civil war needs to be fought.

I guess I should be concerned about this but for some reason, I'm not. I guess I'm tired of hearing all the bad news.

This is not the first time an Arab country has slowly taken over a non Arab country in Africa by slow emmigration.

The southern Ivory coast in a bastion of Christians who are losing their northern area to Muslims. Guess who takes slaves? We are seeing also other religious civil wars in virtually all of the Northern Africa and MiddleEast countries from Shiites on Sunni and vice versa. Slowly the Arabs are spreading out into Europe, and the rest of the World.

Do we really think this is not a means to an end?

DelFairchild - just out of curiosity...how do you think the Ivory Coast became "christian"?

I think its funny when we start the clock NOW as to who can be where.

Like all americans bitching about mexicans taking over america.

Probably just like the natives bitched about white europeans taking over their land.

Its called KARMA.

Hey winkwink you're real ahole. Those so called entitlements such as social security is an insurance program for retirement. we pay in all of our working lives so we won't have to live destitute and pennyless just like a 401 k only the insurance company is the government. And to all of you people out there, that thinks they can do better on wall street, well we've seen that fiasco haven't we. Don't get me wrong, I don't believe in welfare for people that don't want to work. Or the Illegals getting free healthcare as they do now. I'm normally conservative, but in dependent minded. I don't believe in a free ride for anybody, we all have to pay our own freight, plain and simple

Sure wasn't by displacing muslims.

When can we start spending some of this war fund we seem to have on matters directly related to things in the USA? People need real jobs here. We need to find ways to get America back to work and get factories back on our soil. Take care of home and family first!

Whenever we can help save lives it is worth it.

..Jessica...................Tell us it ain't so..........Christians randomly killing Muslims ?......WOW........Thought Christians were the 'love thy neighbor, turn the other cheek, cast no stone in anger' people...

It seems to me there is a really simple issue here: the difference between a country's INTERNAL issues, and a sovereign nation's being attacked by another country on a conquest agenda.

I am talking about involving our military... and I simply cannot agree we can or even SHOULD try change the internal "politics" of another country which simply does not affect the rest of the world.

At the same time, CONQUEST of other countries IS a concern. There is an important difference.

We, in the West, can neither change the world to suit our values, nor reasonably protect the whole world, again, based on our western values. Even to try is in violation of OUR own values. But we have every right to defend our own country from attack. 9/11 was an attack!

When are we going to get with that program?

It's all James Madison's fault.

I figure if we're blaming presidents, I'd throw in my random selection.

Pensive Wetness: what is that? Like 2nd edition? Time to pony up and get up to speed: you don't roll to confirm criticals anymore. 4th edition simplified the whole process.

PS: they're wearing +4 Amulets of the Invisible Despot. Daily Power: (minor) become invisible. Sustain: standard.

Why aren't these atrocities more widely reported, like Libya?

Silly question - Because oil is more valuable than cocoa.

WINK WINK Lets really call it like it is. BOTH PARTIES have had a hand in the condition we as a country are now in.

Now on May 10th, 2011 the Coptic Christians in Eygpt are being burnt out by the radical muslims there. They fear for their lives.

I guess according to Jessica 1170252, if you are Christian, you don't belong anywhere as you must have been converted by some radical Christian idealist back a couple hundred years ago. Christ should be ashamed.

RoyWilson; No Chocolate for you!!!!

Please, if an American wants to help those people, GO there, don't take American money unless it is in your bank account. Don't take American soldiers unless they buy their own plane fare. It is great to save lives, and when every American has a job, the national debt is gone or par with the worlds debts, THEN send in the politicians that think its a good idea to meddle with other nations FIRST.

Elections, courts and laws rule in Florida and Wisconsin. If those that elections, courts and laws put on the short end of the stick can't convince enough of their fellow citizens of the righteousness of their cause, what they do is become the loyal opposition. They don't call for street justice. It is hard to recognize that you're all wet, but the majority of your peers have told you so.

notsosmart your moniker fits. There has been an uprising. It's called the Tea Party and the elections on 2010 demonstrated it had some effect. As Obama said, he took a shellacking. Did you miss it? Where you out of country at the time?

not true, and get used to them

they'll be around and in office

You say you want a revolution? Well, ya know....we all wanna change the world......You tell me its evolution...well you know....we all wanna change the world....

But when you talk about destruction.....don't you know that you can count me out?

Don't ya know its gonna be....All right....

All Right....

All Right?

Did I miss something? I thought this topic was about a little country in West Africa, not an I'm right, you're wrong pointless argument about perceived political problems in the U.S.

Public unions suck on the taxpayers!!!

Tea Party is backlash only. Much potential for negative growth.

The tea party is the America jihad. Only trouble is--instead of fighting someone else, they're encouraging in-fighting in their own country. Look at all the arguing and protests and fighting going on today. If everybody'd try to listen to each other and work WITH each other instead of against each other, maybe something good would happen. But no, it's more fun to argue... Disgusting!

Whatever, the democrats didn't want to work with the Reps. So the teaparty movenment began and then voted out the democrats. DUH.

Now in FL and WI, the democrats are getting the tables turned on them and they cry boo hoo and say "I'm taking my ball and going home". Or they pull the race card.

If you democrats don't like what the Reps are doing, start your own tea party.

In reality, you have to give credit where its deserved. Tea party started from nothing and within two years, what happened?

The "Majority" did not elect our leaders in the 2010 election. Voter turnout for midterm elections runs between 30-35% of the eligible electorate. And when you look at the overall numbers, in general just over half of the electorate votes for the "winning side." So in this case, between 15 and 17% of eligible voters picked our government in 2010. Even if you were to say that republicans won upwards of 60% of the popular vote, thats still somewhere between 18-22% of the electorate. I'd hardly call that a "Majority of my peers." it sounds more like a very vocal and active minority dictating how the country should be run, in this case, old, white, and mostly well off.

Smitty, as you just demonastrated, the Democrat way of working WITH people is for the opposing side to relent. For example, why aren't the Free Speechers/ACLU protecting the idiots who protested the military funerals several weeks ago? I don't remember seeing the ACLU lobbying for their rights. Is there speech not protected like yours and mine? Where was the ACLU to protect Carrie Prejean's opinion on gay marriage? The Liberal way is that free speech is great, as long as you agree with the Liberal agenda. The Tea Party, of which I agree with in some areas (such as limited government), is no more a jihad than is Harry Reid a Sheik. It's these types of ignorant and ridiculous statements that mask the issues and serve to reduce an important conversation with multiple valid, and varied, opinions to sophmoric name-calling.

I'm not saying the Republicans have always been better at compromise, especially when controlling the presidency as well as both houses, but a lot of Dem-agenda items got passed during Bush's term which would later haunt the nation - see: housing crisis (which was primarily caused by the government trying to increase homeownership to a section of the population not financial responsible enough to handle it. All of the other problems, i.e. low interest rates, banker greed, wild derivatives, etc. were symptoms of the problem, not the root cause).

Quite frankly, this country works best when there is gridlock in politics and therefore the government is so busy in-fighting it can't screw up the economy with political agendas. Go back and research history, the times of greatest economic prosperity have been with Dem presidents and Republican control of AT LEAST one house. Of course, with Obama's appointments of Czars, which basically sidestep Congress, this may not be true in the future...

We have elections to decide who leads our local, state, and federal government, if you don't like the results of those elections work hard to try and win the next elections. Talk of uprisings and civil war is the the talk of poor losers and traitors. This is how our system works, if you don't like it leave to a system that works better for you. If those in Florida and Wisconsin get to have an uprising because they dislike the Republicans ELECTED, can those who dislike Obama have an uprising?

For all those post about the Tea party people being "nut jobs", "negative", or some "jihad", I ask how many public buildings did they storm like the unions did in Wisconsin? How many hospitals have you seen them outside protesting like code pink? How many people did they hurt like the Weather Underground and Obama friend Bill Ayers? How much damage to property have they done like the liberal eco terrorist group ELF? You don't have to agree with them, but your labels are ignorant, with nothing to back them up.

RedneckCEO

Get over it libbies: Socialism is dead.

But apparently stupidity is not. neither is ignorance.

Mikey,

Typical, liberal response when they get the crap kicked out of them in a debate: Insults!! LOLOL!

Liberals! LMFAO!!

"If by the mere force of numbers a majority should deprive a minority of any clearly written constitutional right, it might, in a moral point of view, justify revolution."

Abraham Lincoln

"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable."

JFK

"The seed of revolution is repression."

Woodrow Wilson

What is funny to me is the tea party started in 2007 with Ron Paul, then the GOP seen a way to try & strengthen their voter agenda through the tea party. All of the people who bitch & whine about the tea party have no clue how it started & what it standsfor. I was an original tea partier when Ron Paul was an advocate but since Sarah Palinseems to be the favorite among the tea part now, I no longer attend the rallies. Liberals can not make their own arguments against the tea party, they only use Chrisse Hissy Fit Matthew's talking points of the day when talking about something they have no clue about.

LogicReguired you made very valid points,but not one liberal will give you a legit answer about the arguments made.

American for Israel,

Great quotes, and I don't disagree but what are you suggesting? Should those in Wisconsin try to overthrow the Governor? Should the Tea Party folks try to overthrow Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Obama? Or are you saying if the government continues on its current path of ignoring the constitution, and limiting rights, the people of America would be justified in taking action against the government? One way I like to revolt against the Government power is by voting for people who are not career politicians, and believe in a limited government role.

American for Isreal "Whatever, the democrats didn't want to work with the Reps. So the teaparty movenment began and then voted out the democrats. DUH."

So you're saying that the republicans who didnt want to do anything but scream NO, were shut out of everything, and it so angered conservatives that the Tea Party movement began?

"Now in FL and WI, the democrats are getting the tables turned on them and they cry boo hoo and say "I'm taking my ball and going home". Or they pull the race card."

*scratches head. Wait, so the republicans upon being elected, did exactly what you say the democrats did after Obama was elected - and now that the folks in Wisconsin, Florida (and Michigan) are rising up (like the tea party) you consider that "taking their ball and going home". How does that even make sense, even in your head?

"If you democrats don't like what the Reps are doing, start your own tea party."

Wait, so we have to start a "TEA PARTY" in order to have our protests be considered legit? What the bleep are you smoking? I dont want any...im just curious. Cuz the protests have been bigger than that of the tea party...we dont need any billionaires bankrolling our protests, we can manage on our own...thanks.

"In reality, you have to give credit where its deserved. Tea party started from nothing and within two years, what happened?"

It didnt start from nothing, it started from the Koch Brothers...you know, the very folks who are dictating to Gov Walker and many other newly elected governors (even according to you, thanks to the tea party) what to do here. And its backfiring horribly.

I wouldnt exactly be patting yourself on the back for whats happening...I wouldnt exactly call the future recall of Gov Walker and 4-5 republicans senators in wisconsin "success" would you?

Jessica,

"I wouldnt exactly call the future recall of Gov Walker and 4-5 republicans senators in wisconsin "success" would you?"

LMFAO!! So how many of these conservatives have been recalled? Yeah, thought so! But keep dreaming hon!

Liberals! LMFAO!!!

Jessica where did you get the information on the tea party being started by someone other than Ron Paul in 2007???? Oh I already know the answer MSNBC. More clueless drivel from another MSN watcher, who would've thunk that?????? I doubt you would ever take the time to do the research nor listen to anyone not on that soap opera news network.

Ron Paul, the Champion of the Constitution and the Thomas Jefferson of our day, is a true American patriot and statesman. I am sick of oath-betraying, constitution abrogating, warmongering establishment neoconservatives posing as Republicans. Wake up America! Ron Paul for President in 2012.

Redneck,

The recall effort began on Mar 2nd - they have 60 days to collect signatures.

As of March 14th, they had 45% of the signatures needed.

I hope you understand this is a process that takes some time...since volunteers have to go out, door to door, collecting signatures in every district of the senators targeted for recall.

But, clearly you dont understand the process...since you're claiming victory early.

Care to hang a MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner while you're at it?

I'd LMAOF at you...but, I dont think its funny laughing at mentally challenged folks.

Here is a video to help enlighten you Jessica. I doubt you will watch since it isn't on MSNBC, but what the hell I might as well try to educate at least one brainwashed Liberal today.

http//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKZMizEmUN8

He link is above if MSN allows it. If not no surprise, as frredom of speech is only allowed on here if you agree with the liberal agenda.

Sick of "Jessica where did you get the information on the tea party being started by someone other than Ron Paul in 2007???? Oh I already know the answer MSNBC. More clueless drivel from another MSN watcher, who would've thunk that?????? I doubt you would ever take the time to do the research nor listen to anyone not on that soap opera news network."

Wait, so where was the TEA PARTY during the 2008 elections then?

What Ron Paul started in 2006 (not 2007) is not at all the same "thing" as what emerged in 2008 upon Obama's election. I know you're smart enough to understand this...even if you disagree.

"Ron Paul, the Champion of the Constitution and the Thomas Jefferson of our day, is a true American patriot and statesman. I am sick of oath-betraying, constitution abrogating, warmongering establishment neoconservatives posing as Republicans. Wake up America! Ron Paul for President in 2012."

YOUR idea of the TEA PARTY would have more weight with me if they didnt go on the ballot as republicans. If you are something DIFFERENT than what republicans have become, so much so that you need to start a NEW PARTY...then by all means, start a new party...but quit crying foul because your party decided its only chance at being elected was to join the very people you are sick of.

If you didnt want to be connected to Koch Brothers, The "REAL" Tea Party should never allowed themselves to be bankrolled by them.

Dont pin this one on liberals...blame your own people.

that link didnt go anywhere...said there was no video available.

but, ya know...my opinions about the tea party are based on fact, not what you WANT the tea party to be seen as, what it actually has become.

Jessica's one hundred percent right, Dick Armrey and Tom Delay and his like including the Koch brothers. Are the ones who bankrolled the Tea Party. The Tea Party fell inline with the repubs, as soon as they were sworn into the congress. Please don't peg me as a liberal, I'm a conservative independent. that's if anyone wants to respond. The Republican party use to be my party, but the necons hijacked it from us sane people.

As I stated above I was an early supporter of the "Original Tea Party" & the original tea party was around in the 2008 election, & the Koch brothers were not involved with the tea party. There just wasn't any news coverage of it because of what it stood for. No, I don't support the neoconservatives posing as republicans of the current tea party, & the crooked money flushed into it by these bastards.

Why shouldn't they run as republicans? Ron Paul stands for what the true Republican party use to stand for. I suggest you listen to the man, instead of what the bias networks tell you. Research the person you are voting for & listen to them talk without teleprompters. FYI Fox news also bashes Ron Paul because he stands for true American independence.

The original link did not post. If you do want to see the video go to youtube and put in:

Ron Paul: Tea Party 07

This man is not your typical politician.

I dont claim to know anything about all this Tea Party CRAP! I just wanted to comment on all the civilwars taking place all over the world and our corporate controlling government!!!!!What needs to happen is get rid of every senator,congressman repulican,democrat basically any of our representatives who hold a government job and makes more than $100,000 a year and put working class men and women to take over the rolls of our millionaire senators ,our corporate polticians,etc. Then if the Lobbist's dont bribe them to vote on laws to benefit the rich then and only then will you have a decent group of people working for the people!This would or will never happen because of all the greedy 1 percent who basically run the government !I thought that is why we left ENGLUND!Let the U.S.A. worry about its own problems and quit trying to solve everyone else's problem's.Put real working class people to make our decisions not these rich uptight a-holes to screw us over even more!JUST SAYIN!!!!!

Jessica-1170252: Over analyzes things............

LogicReguired: I'm for a peaceful revolution first. I follow the fore fathers examples. I stand by what they stood for. They first tired for many years to get King George to hear their grievences. Nothing happened. Then when the soldiers tried to remove their arms. What happened?
"Shot heard 'round the world" came about.

I'm not happy with the government here period. Blues or Reds. I want to see everyday Joes and Johns start taking office. Thats what the forefathers wanted. They wanted average Americans who work side by side their constituents, so that they know what they go through and know what is best of them. A good leader will rise first from the ranks, by knowing what their fellows go through and still listening to the counsel of those peers will be the most successful.

As far as what I'm suggesting. Term limits. Period. Will go a long way in fixing corruption.

The long termers in office only objective is to see how much and how far they have to bend over to keep in office another term and reap the kick backs. In the end, the long termers have no care about the lower or middle class. The Democrats DO NOT care about the minorities, they just work it to their favor to buy their votes.

The Civil War was fought over slaves. Guess what, those Southern states were Democrats. Post Civil War, Democrats continued to try and limit the voting power of blacks.

Democrats bought the black's votes by making a deal with MLK's dad to get MLK out of jail and not mare his politic image.

Go google or research if you don't believe me.

American for Israel

Thanks for the response, I believe you and agree.

To the Tea Party discussion:

The Tea party was first started by or at least first mentioned by RICK SANTELLI on CNBC Feb. 2009: Google search it and get the facts. Tea Party was not started by Ron Paul, although many Tea party members agree with his views.

Jessica unless you have gone to a Tea Party event you really don't know what you're talking about. Most "members" are middle class, and just want the government to get its acts together financially. Johnathan Hoenig was a speaker at a Tea Party event where he bashed Bush for several minutes because of his spending and he was applauded by the audience.

Santelli was catapulted to instant fame after his five-minute outburst on CNBC in Feb. 2009--where he decried government bailouts, and speculated aloud that a new Tea Party might be needed--went viral.

Side Note: I am not a Tea Party Member, but do agree with some of their views not all. I didn't vote for Ron Paul, but do like some of his ideas.

I agree 1oo% with AMERICAN FOR ISREAL!!!!!! You must be reading my mind that is how our government is supposed to work ! Let FREEDOM RING! IT"S A REPUBLIC not a democracy at least thats what the constitution said anyway.So why are we trying too shove democracy down these third world countries throats anyway if they wanted or needed our help i think they would ask for it . Let's try helping our own fellow americans out. IF we are so far in debt how can we afford all these wars and aid to all of these countries. What countries lend the UNITED STATES A HAND when hurricane Katrina hit or any other disasters have happened to us . No one that's, who!!!!!!This is why we are still in IRAQ AND APHGANISTAN AND NOW LYBIA WE CANT AFFORD TO BRING OUR TROOPS HOME THEY WOULDN'T HAVE A JOB TOO COME HOME TO OR PROBABLY A HOUSE EITHER SINCE ALL THE FORCLOSURES! So keep blowing up all these countries so we can rebuild them and keep americans working ! Just start another ,WAR, JOB SECURITY!!!

Thanks LogicReguired and workingman-3234654.

I do like some of the views of the Tea Party. Personally I'm against the party system. I don't think that was the intent of the fathers. But is it what it is.

I usually end up voting for the lesser of the two evils. Some people may say just don't vote. I say if you don't practice your rights, you'll end up losing them.

Some people need to read "Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" and see the similar paths we are taking that Rome did back then. If we don't unite, we will fall within a dozen years.

I am an independent conservative. I even voted for Clinton once since Newt pulled the strings and "Blow Job" Bill went along for the ride.

But I do not join parties or groups. But I was arguing with a friend who said the local south Florida tea party group consisted of mainly ex-New York Jews, Hispanics, and Blacks. So on a bet, I went to a rally. He was right. Even I was fooled by the lamestream, liberal media in thinking the Tea party was a bunch of right-wing, bible-thumping, racist hillbillies. I still won't join the Tea Party but to all you silly libbies like Jessica who think they know all about it, you are dead wrong.

I own a software company with offices in 5 European cities. While in Sweden a few weeks ago, the folks in the local Stockholm pub were even thinking about creating a Tea Party branch there!! It's funny the liberal media doesn't report such stories. This ain't your grandfather's Sweden anymore libbies! LOL! This thing will just continue to grow.

Look, the whole Tea Party thing started out as a fundraiser for Ron Paul back in 2007. It was named Tea Party '07 because it was held on the anniversary date of our historic Tea Party. He raised 6.4 million for his presidential campaign that day. It was Alex Jones listeners, whom were Ron Paul supporters, who came up with the idea. The first fundraiser by these people was on Nov. 5, 2007.

http://mysite.verizon.net/nathanielyao/index.html

"This basically shows that Ron Paul is a viable candidate," said Rachael McIntosh, a spokeswoman for what was dubbed Boston TeaParty07. "People are so engaged in this campaign because it’s coming from the grass-roots."

The supporters of the Texas congressman pick anniversaries of such historical events to highlight what they call the "Ron Paul Revolution." ...

His supporters are unusually enthusiastic. Today, one waved a yellow "Don't Tread on Me" flag on Beacon Street in front of the State House while a dozen others clutched "Ron Paul" placards in the sleet. ...

Supporters also re-enacted the dumping of tea in Boston Harbor, by tossing banners that read "tyranny" and "no taxation without representation" into boxes that were placed in front of an image of the harbor.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2007/12/ron_pauls_tea_p.html

today's drive should be more familiar to those familiar with American history because December 16th, 2007 is the 234th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party, an event that was emblematic of the then coming American Revolution.

And this fact of history was not lost on Paul's supporters since they titled this fund raising effort "Tea Party '07". The Ron Paul campagin in many ways has been revolutionary, not only in the fact that it has set new records for online campaign contributions, but also in the fact that this campaign has been powered not by a huge official campaign machine but by Ron Paul's supporters themselves.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/488021/tea_party_2007_ron_paul_sets_a_new.html?cat=9

Now many of these early Tea Party folks were involved in End The Fed Rallies, which had Ron Paul as a speaker some times. These people, people like me, know the issues and tend to think in non partisan terms. They understand the dichotomy of the left/right paradigm and don't play into those sophomoric political games.

I'm Breaking up my comment as to not make a single post too long.

Now one has to try and remember what was happening in the political arena back in 2006. The Dems took control of the legislature and the future outlook for Republicans was very grim. The neo-cons basically left a sour taste in many Americans' mouths. I remember many liberals on Newsvine declaring Republicans will never be in power again. They were in fact finished in the minds of a few. I myself thought the Republicans would have a hard time coming back to the fore. Well, the Ron Paul campaign made an impression on those in high places.

Now we fast forward to 2007, where the fight for the Executive branch began. Ron Paul was not treated very well by the mainstream media (especially Fox News), yet his support grew, mostly because of Alex Jones and the internet. As the articles I sighted above state, Ron Paul made campaign history. I mean the Republican establishment must have been in shock. I wouldn't be surprised if Democrats were as well. There were Tea Party rallies held for Ron Paul all over the country back in 2007.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Ron+Paul+Tea+Party+%2707&aq=f

As you can see there's many videos of Ron Paul Tea Party Rallies. The reason I knew about them is because I'm an Alex Jones listener and Ron Paul supporter. Jessica doesn't know about these things because the Washington establishment and the international media corps don't want a person like Ron Paul garnishing the support of the majority of Americans.

It is clear that there is an agenda behind the media blackout of Congressman Ron Paul's run for the Republican nomination. ... If anyone has been paying attention to Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, they would quickly discover that there is a definite news blackout when the stories are concerning wins by Dr. Ron Paul. ... Even when the media was covering the Iowa Straw Poll they mentioned every candidate except for Ron Paul, even the ones that placed below him and those that did not even participate.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/372808/media_blackout_of_ron_paul.html?cat=9

All nine other candidates are listed as choices *** including Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich -- who aren't even running -- as well as "don't know" and "other" -- but not Ron Paul, who swept the three debates according to online polls.

http://www.dailypaul.com/310/la-times-media-blackout

Ron Paul, the Republican Congressman from Texas and candidate for President, fell off the media’s radar over four months ago, but to the surprise of many he made a strong showing in the Pennsylvania Republican Primary last night by garnering 16% of the Republican vote. ...

http://www.politicallore.com/election-2008/despite-media-blackout-ron-paul-collects-16-of-pennsylvania-vote/242

However unfair and arrogant the recent big media blackout of Ron Paul’s success at the first GOP primary debate may be, it is undeniable that the net effect was a serious boon to the Paul campaign and his supporters.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_alex_wal_070512_media_blackout_boost.htm

cont......

cont....

Ron Paul's message resonated with the young and old, and those with differing ideologies we categorize as the right or left. If you watch any of the Ron Paul Tea Part rallies, I have in a youtube link above, one can easily see how many youths were/are involved and love the message Ron Paul offers. This is also one reason why Ron Paul's campaign broke the record for online contributions back in '07.

Well we all know that Ron Paul did not win the Presidential primary, and is still a congressman. I'm pretty sure the Koch's and Dick Armey's in our country knew a Republican, other than Ron Paul, would not win the Presidency. So what's the next goal? The congressional/senate election in 2010.

Interestingly Freedomworks, headed by Dick Armey helped organize the Tea Party Patriots. Whether or not Freedom works is the creator of the TPP is not really clear. However it is clear that Freedomworks has an influence on the TPP. The TTP is basically a mobilizing organization. The Republicans saw how the Ron Paul message resonated with people from all backgrounds and jumped on the chance to use Paul's momentum to bring the Republican Party back to the fore.

The Tea Party Patriots(those who head it anyways) and the Tea Party Express are merely used as a tool to garner Republican support. However us true original Tea Party people know and understand this fact. We also know that Ron Paul's message is so strong that Koch and Armey's plan might and probably will backfire on them. One reason for this is not only the message of Ron Paul is stronger than any partisan ideology, it's also because there are many, many small local Tea Party groups independent of the larger national Tea Party Patriots and Tea Party Express. Another thing is that people who are getting involved in these Tea Parties are not as blind as the left would like to believe. They constantly try to paint Sara Palin as a leader in the movement, yet just last month at a Tea Party Patriot national convention, a presidential straw poll showed that the majority of members there favor Ron Paul over Sara Palin to run against President Obama. This shows me that people are getting involved in these movements because they want true grassroots change, and want to rein in the Washington establishment in both parties.

"In a 'presidential straw poll' of nearly 1,600 conservative members of the Tea Party Patriots released on Sunday, 581 voted for U.S. Representative Ron Paul, a Texas Republican, to run against Obama next year

Herman Cain, a Georgia businessman and talk-radio host, came in second with 256 votes.

Palin, a favorite of the conservative movement who was Senator John McCain's running mate against Obama in 2008, trailed in a distant third place with 149 votes."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/27/us-teaparty-idUSTRE71Q2SM20110227

Another reason I think this subterfuge of the Tea Party movement by the Republican establishment might fail is because the Tea Party Patriots are now in-vain trying to distance themselves from the Palin, Beck Tea Party Express.

"I reported yesterday that there was some friction between the Tea Party Patriots and Our Country Deserves Better PAC, the organization that launched the Tea Party Express. Today, I confirmed that the discord is real, and that Amy Kremer, formerly a national coordinator of Tea Party Patriots, was pushed out last week because of her decision to join the upcoming Tea Party Express tour."

http://washingtonindependent.com/62054/tea-party-patriots-vs-tea-party-express

I'm really sorry my posts are so long. I can't really tell how long they are until I post them.

I don't really know why those on the left hate the Tea Party movement so much. I have a theory. When I was growing up as a teen in the 90's I remember hearing the term silent majority, and most of the time that term was referring to mainstream fiscal and social conservative/centrist types. Well on April 16th 2009 those mainstream, mostly white conservatives actually went out in Washington en masse to protest.

Now most of the time Americans are used to seeing gay rights activists protesting, war protesters, union strikes, etc. And these issues have typically been leftist ideologies. America wasn't used to seeing everyday average ma and pop's showing up at huge rallies. Personally I think this just scared the crap out of those on the left. And the mainstream conservatives tried to distance themselves from this movement, for probably a couple reasons. One is that the Koch's and Armey probably wanted the Tea Party Patriots to seem unaffiliated the the Republican establishment in order to get the movement more mobilized, and two, they don't want Ron Paul's message that started this whole thing to take too much hold on the majority of mainstream America.

Politics is a game, and both parties play the American people like chess pieces. The left think they hold the moral high ground because the oppose corporations and religious morals imposed on society. The right think they hold the moral high ground because they are anti communists and hold a strong belief in G-d. You will never be able to bring a people together with such opposing ideologies. And what most people don't understand is that they're hand feed these ideas through the media (including blogs) and the political establishment. The left cries about the Koch brothers and the right cries about Sorros, the whole not knowing that Sorros and the Koch brothers basically have the same agenda. I really wish people would read Edward Bernay's "Propaganda". It's a great way to understand how our society truly works.

"THE conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country.
We are governed, our minds are molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized. Vast numbers of human beings must cooperate in this manner if they are to live together as a smoothly functioning society. ... They govern us by their qualities of natural leadership, their ability to supply needed ideas and by their key position in the social structure. Whatever attitude one chooses to take toward this condition, it remains a fact that in almost every act of our daily lives, whether in the sphere of politics or business, in our social conduct or our ethical thinking, we are dominated by the relatively small number of persons ... who understand the mental processes and social patterns of the masses. It is they who pull the wires which control the public mind, who harness old social forces and contrive new ways to bind and guide the world. ... Invisible government, in the shape of rudimentary political parties, arose almost overnight. Ever since then we have agreed, for the sake of simplicity and practicality, that party machines should narrow down the field of choice to two candidates, or at most three or four."

"Propaganda" by Edward Bernays

http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/bernprop.html

I encourage everyone to read it and the forward by Noam Chomsky at the link above.

Jessica,

YOUR idea of the TEA PARTY would have more weight with me if they didnt go on the ballot as republicans. If you are something DIFFERENT than what republicans have become, so much so that you need to start a NEW PARTY...then by all means, start a new party...but quit crying foul because your party decided its only chance at being elected was to join the very people you are sick of.

Jessica I have an answer for you by Paul himself.

Ron Paul often refers to two main points when asked why he will not run outside of the Republican Party. The first is that he believes that he is closer to what used to be the Republican platform than any other candidate, i.e. a humble foreign policy and a small government approach to governing; the second is that obtaining ballot access for any candidate outside of the two-party system is extremely difficult.

http://www.politicallore.com/election-2008/despite-media-blackout-ron-paul-collects-16-of-pennsylvania-vote/242

I don't understand your logic. Just because neo-cons came into power within the political party is no reason that paleo-conservatives cannot try and take their party back from within. Ron Paul has ran on a third party ticket in the past, but everyone know that the two main parties control the political scene making it very difficult for third party candidates to win elections. Remember what the Democrats did to Nader? They tried every trick in the book to keep him from running on a third party ticket. Here's a great video with Nader.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRwkwy2SXQ8

I think it's funny that liberals seem to think that only Republicans are in the pocket of the Corporations. Corporations don't care if you have an "R" or a "D" behind your name. Unions on the other hand overwhelmingly give money to Democrats. You do realize that many liberal movements and protests are bankrolled by billionaires through charity like organizations. George Sorros isn't the only fat cat to push liberal agendas. Many left leaning organizations have been getting money from the Rockefeller Foundation, you know the original oil barons, The Ford Foundation, the Carnegie Foundation. These organizations tend to have a global elite agenda, usually strongly involved in eugenics.

Also you do realize that the Trilateral Commission and the Council on Foreign Relations have members from both sides of the isle and they tend to formulate policy. Liberals need to wise up.

First of all, I applaud your efforts to "educate" readers about the difference between the current Tea Party and the efforts of Ron Paul. From there, we diverge. I grew up in Texas. I recall back in the early 90's when Ron Paul started doing his runs for president back then. We all regarded him as a guy like Pat Paulsen, the comedian who ran for president in every election from 1974 until the late 80's; IOW, comedic. I was a little surprised when Ron Paul became a US congressman from Texas, but given the shift in political preference in Texas from the days of LBJ to the days of Dubya, I shouldn't have been too surprised.

My main objection to Ron Paul is his open bigotry and support of the KKK and skin heads. I would think you will have a hard time convincing liberals, independents and Democrats that he is viable to be President based on his well documented prejudices.

www.americanthinker.com/2007/11/the_ron_paul_campaign_and_its.html

articles.cnn.com/2008-01-10/politics/paul.newsletters_1_newsletters-blacks-whites?_s=PM:POLITICS

I guess this dude has not received my letter.

His amulets will not stop a bullet.

The use of a flak jacket works better, the newer ballistic vest TypeIII is the latest model.

FZknew,

Soory it's taken a couple days to get back to you, I've been busy with work, life and all. I think it's important to get facts out to people, hence my "effort" to educate people. I just love insults with a smile. Thank you. But here I go again. I'm going to educate you.

I'm not from Texas, so I can't boast to know the local politics, but I have been following Jones and Ron Paul for 7 years now, and I can say that in almost a decade, in all Paul's speeches, books, and interviews, not once have I heard him say anything disparaging to or about any minority group.

Paul first ran for President in 1988 as a Libertarian. (there you Jessica) He did in fact win the Libertarian nomination. The only other time Paul ran for President was this last election in 2008. So being in Texas doesn't mean you have your history correct.

I don't know how old you are, but Paul first became a congressman back in 1976 in a special election. He then He was then re-elected in 1978, 1980, and 1982. So for a veteran congressman to run for president doesn't seem all that strange to me. Certainly not comparable to a comedian. In fact Ron came in third behind Bush Senior and Dukakis.

In 1984 Paul lost his run for Senate and returned to his medical practice full time. Paul was re-elected to congress in 1996. So I think Paul won on his integrity, and not a Dubya mentality. Especially since he had ran against G.H.W.B. in 1988. And had blamed Reagan on creating a financial mess.

I mean really, is it so hard to do research people?

I got all this info from Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul

Oh There's more

I've heard the racists accusations before. The only evidence are 20 year old Newsletters where ghost writers wrote articles under Paul's name and not with Paul's approval. In fact some of the so called evidence people cling to is what some racists have said. In court that's called hearsay. In fact the New York Times had to write a retraction regarding Paul and his supposed neo-nazi, KKK associations.

http://themedium.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/editors-note-the-ron-paul-vid-lash/

Here's what Ron Paul himself had to say.

"RON PAUL'S RESPONSE

Ron Paul has already responded to these ridiculous accusations and slammed them as political haymaking to coincide with the New Hampshire primary.

"The quotations in The New Republic article are not mine and do not represent what I believe or have ever believed. I have never uttered such words and denounce such small-minded thoughts.

In fact, I have always agreed with Martin Luther King, Jr. that we should only be concerned with the content of a person's character, not the color of their skin. As I stated on the floor of the U.S. House on April 20, 1999: �I rise in great respect for the courage and high ideals of Rosa Parks who stood steadfastly for the rights of individuals against unjust laws and oppressive governmental policies.'

This story is old news and has been rehashed for over a decade. It's once again being resurrected for obvious political reasons on the day of the New Hampshire primary.

When I was out of Congress and practicing medicine full-time, a newsletter was published under my name that I did not edit. Several writers contributed to the product. For over a decade, I have publicly taken moral responsibility for not paying closer attention to what went out under my name."

http://www.infowars.com/articles/us/ron_paul_hit_piece_scrapes_barrel_yellow_journalism.htm

You should read the article linked just above.

Ron Paul usually doesn't like to get involved in petty politics. And this whole racists, conspiracy nut, allegations, are merely ad hominem attacks. It's a form of propaganda, in order to discredit a person through guilt by association. Just because a nut case wacko gives you campaign money doesn't mean you're a wacko. And if you don't give it back, it still doesn't mean you're a wacko. Lord, hasn't anybody taken Logic classes at their University? I did. Was one of my favorite classes. And some nursing majors used to tease me and a couple others for enjoying logic so much.

So basically you are completely WRONG. Paul is neither an open, nor closet racist.

The funny thing is, some of the quotes from his newsletter are obviously not from Paul because one states that Paul voted against MLK's holiday. And according to Paul Joseph Watson, Paul did vote for the bill.

If Paul really was a racist you wouldn't have to dig up 20 year old newsletters to prove it. You would have you tube videos of him saying things in speeches, or in his actual books, etc.

"Responding to the charges in a CNN interview, Paul denied any involvement in authoring the passages. Additionally, Paul's campaign claimed through a press release that the quotations had come from an unnamed ghostwriter and without Paul's consent. Paul again denounced and disavowed the "small-minded thoughts," citing his 1999 House speech praising Rosa Parks for her courage; he said the charges simply "rehashed" the decade-old Morris attack.^[134] CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer said that the writing "Didn't sound like the Ron Paul I've come to know."^[135] Later, Nelson Linder, president of the Austin chapter of the NAACP, also defended Paul."^[136]

“
“Everybody knows in my district that I didn't write them and I don't speak like that... and I've been reelected time and time again and everyone knows I don't participate in that kind of language. The point is, when you bring this question up, you're really saying 'you're a racist, or are you a racist?' The answer is no, I'm not a racist. As a matter of fact, Rosa Parks is one of my heroes, Martin Luther King is a hero, because they practiced the libertarian principle of civil disobedience and nonviolence. Libertarians are incapable of being a racist because racism is a collectivist idea: you see people in groups. A civil libertarian as myself sees everyone as an important individual.
”

— Ron Paul, CNN, Jan 10, 2008^[137]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Paul

So I hope I educated you a little bit. However, you seem like you're mind is already made up about Paul.

Later

Kate Indigo,

Thanks for your response and the information. I did read the article titled yellow journalism. OK, for the sake of argument (you say fact) Let's leave the racism out of it. And since you asked, the first election I was old enough to vote in was 1980. I worked as a signature gatherer for John Anderson against Ronald Reagan, because even at that age, I knew something stunk about Reagan.

In one sense you are right that I have made my mind up about Ron Paul; and that sense is that I feel Libertarianism is just another form of anarchism. The basic thoughts about governement out of our lives I understand but feel is fundamentally worng. In order to have a functioning society, I feel that we need government as a form of community discourse with oversight functions on things such as corporate interaction with the community ( i.e. I think we could probably agree that we don't want tainted milk to go to our children, zoning laws are probably good [see Houston TX for evidence that zoning laws are needed].

In fact, I used to think of myself as an anarchist in the early 80's when even John Anderson's type of political "independent" seemed off base. However, during that time I was fortunate to be able to take government classes from Oliver Clubb and others who worked for John Kennedy and John Kenneth Galbraith during the late 50's early 60's. I came to realize that governance is necessary if the majority human beings are to be allowed a fair shake in a Capitalist society.

It is possible that Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich ( one on either side of the D/R continuum) are each correct, in that most laws are not even funded or carried out to their original intent. I surely understand people's objections to a "nanny state" although I feel most of those laws which are mentioned to suggest a nanny state point of view, ( no smoking laws in bars, labels on alcohol/cigarettes, etc) do, indeed promote a "healthier" atmosphere for living.

I was, in fact, interested in Ron Paul's run in 2008 and noted some acceptance of his views in the upstate NY area where my family has been for over 120 years. OTH, I also paid attention to Kucinich's run as well. I guess you could say I am not a fan of the current corporatist's who run our government, and they are both R's and D's-Obama being a very centrist corporatist who fooled folks into thinking he was a progressive. That said, I can't get behind Libertarians because of their disregard for communal laws and their "I have mine and don't care about yours" attitude (in general). I understand Ron Paul is currently under the Republican "flag" but also can see by the types of legislation he sponsors and supports that his mindset is basically Libertarian. Unfortunately for me, as I do feel the two party system is invalid in the modern US of A, I can't find a viable third party to go with. I also agree with you and other Ron Paul supporters that candiates such as Paul (and Kucinich) are radicalized by the media as their "agendas" don't mate up with the Corporatist controlled politicians and media that are completely in control of this country. In fact, I have been investigating how to emigrate to other countries such as Norway or New Zealand. Basically, I am looking for a group of humans who respect each other and don't feel it is wrong to have a safety net for the less fortunate amongst us. Health care in these countries is universal and cossts MUCH LESS than in this country. As I get toward 50 years old I have started to be more concerned about long term health care for myself and the community I live in.

Thanks for the thoughtful response and info, I wish more folks who have differing opinions would be able to speak with/to each other in a civil manner. One of the things I hate about the current political culture is al the shouting and villification of the "other" point(s) of view. On that note, I apologize to you for villifying Paul with what appears to be media smears that even someone as informed as I am through "alternate" media believed.

Thank you FZKnew.

I actually agree with much of what you say. I too understand the value of some form of governance. I was a punk rocker skater girl from Southern California and had fun with drawing anarchy signs everywhere(no tagging, just on my own things). But I knew that complete anarchy wouldn't work. Human beings are too much of a herd mammal. I also saw through the hypocrisy of counter cultures which tried to decry conformity, yet demanded conformity among each other as to not seem like a "poser". I would even tell my friends such.

BTW, I'm an American living in Canada. Not because I thought Canada was better. I married a French Canadien. From what I can see, Canada isn't all that much different than the USA.

Cheers

Kate Indigo,

I had to reply and promise this will be my last if you don't reply.

I once fell in love with a Canadian girl who was living in Vancouver at teh time. I was living in Texas. The long distance romance went on for about 18 months until I realized she did not want to have a long term relationship with me and more than likely did not love me the way I loved her. However, my experience with Canadians is that they seemed a bit more "mellow" than the average American. I loved Vancouver and the surrounding areas. I would go up there for 2 weeks at a time and usually go up north and pitch a tent for 2-3 days all by myself. I truly found some inner peace up there which has sustained me for the rest of my life ( this was in 1995-1997).

What I learned from my Canadian experiences was that the USA is a country full of idealogues on both sides and that even Canadians would lecture me about "our" imperialistic tendencies, etc. Imagine how true that is/was after all these wars started by Bush and continued by Obama. I am truly ashamed of my country, for looting the worlds resources, for dis respecting the worlds religions, for having so much and doing so little "common good" and the list can go on forever. In the wise words of my 71 year old Mom, "this country does not look or act like the one I was born into." She was a teacher for over 40 years in both NY and TX, she has witnessed the demise of a once strong education ethic and as she says, "the culture of accomplishment and the actualization of human promise" that the US had in the 50's and early 60's. As much as I identify with the classic "hippies" of the 60's, I can't think but to blame them/me for some of this dis respect that the US has across the world.

Not to mention Canada has done away with the penny and that alone is saving you billions of dollars. the US can't even conceive of such a thing due to our worship of the "good old days" that never really were!

OK, I'll reply this last time. :) You can reply if you want, up to you.

I don't know where you got the idea that Canada got rid of the penny. It had been recommended a few months ago. It seems economists and bankers are the primary pushers of getting rid of the penny and nickle, not just here in Canada, but in the States as well. I always think twice about something that bankers are pushing.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2010/05/04/f-penny-one-cent-coin.html

One reason the penny has lost so much value is basically inflation. If the penny has lost so much value, yet you can turn in 100 pennies for a dollar, or 25 pennies for a quarter, etc, then what does that say about the value of our dollar? Will countries eventually get rid of the dollar, or the 5 dollar bill, when their purchasing power is minimal(which it already is)?

Not many people understand inflation, and that is something Ron Paul talks about often. He usually refers to inflation as the hidden tax. The reason a penny is virtually worthless, is because there's just way too many in circulation. Mint or print more, the value goes down, and the result is inflation, and less purchasing power. Getting rid of the penny or nickle won't curb inflation. I don't profess to be a monetary expert. It can give me a headache, but I am willing and have been trying to learn. One great book I read is "Creature from Jekyll Island" by G. Edward Griffin. Here's a video about the book.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6507136891691870450#

Another reason the penny has lost purchasing power, is that it is no longer mostly copper, but is now mostly zinc, which is a lesser metal than copper.

Up until 1982, pennies were made mostly of copper; since then they have been 97.5% zinc, with a little copper mixed in for appearance's sake.

http://www.forbes.com/2002/07/05/0705penny.html

If a penny was all copper or say 99% copper it would have much more value, cause metal holds it's own intrinsic value.

Just last week, two lawmakers from the Volunteer State introduced a resolution commemorating the 20th anniversary of the zinc-based penny. Fans of this coin note snidely that Kolbe's home state of Arizona is rich in copper--which makes up a bigger percentage of the larger-denomination coins that might be more heavily used if the penny were discontinued. Kolbe also favors replacing paper dollar bills with longer-lasting $1 coins--and as it happens, the Sacagawea "golden dollar" introduced two years ago is made mostly of copper. ...

After producing more than a billion Sacagawea dollars, the Mint temporarily halted production earlier this year. But Hecox says that was due to the economic slowdown, which affected demand for all coins. Now that a recovery seems to be at hand, the Mint soon will consider putting Sacagawea back into production, he adds.

The Mint never stopped producing pennies, however, recession or no recession. Last year it stamped out 10.3 billion of them, and through the first five months of this year it put another 2.5 billion shiny new pennies into circulation. Meanwhile, Kolbe's bill molders in some congressional cubbyhole. The ban-the-penny movement lives on (it was featured on one of last season's episodes of The West Wing), but the pennies keep mounting up.

http://www.forbes.com/2002/07/05/0705penny.html

So as you can see, the higher value coins are actually made with mostly copper. Which goes to show you that the penny would have more value if it was mostly copper.

I tend to not jump on fad bandwagons. Usually there's a lot more to the story.

Cont....

My husband and I lived in Vancouver for a couple years, and yes people from Vancouver can be mellow. We liked Vancouver a lot. I call it the Canadian wanna be San Francisco. I went to SFSU(San Francisco State University) as a journalism major. I was born and raised in the L.A. Valley, but I loved living in San Francisco.

We currently live out in farmland, but work in the city of Ottawa. So I'm surrounded by politics. The people here are a bit more high strung. And they're jerks behind the wheel. Seriously, no joke.

One thing I don't think people know or understand, is the involvement of Canada in so called "American" wars. For instance, this whole Libyan operation, now being taken over by NATO. The Commander of NATO is a Canadian general, and it encompasses American and Canadian military. My husband is a military brat. His dad was a career Air Force sergeant. He worked with satellite and computers, etc. I never knew how involved Canada was with American operations till I married my husband. My mother-in-law is very informative. One thing most Canadians and Americans don't know, is that Canada usually sends in their elite troops ahead of the American ground troops. One of Canadian's favorite past times is to bitch about America, never knowing how dirty their own hands are.

One thing Canada and Canadian billionaires have been interested in, is buying up American water rights.

About 106,000 water customers in Arizona essentially will make monthly payments to the city of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, if a $470 million deal announced Monday is approved by regulators.

Edmonton-based Epcor Water Services Inc. agreed to buy Arizona American Water and New Mexico American Water.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/2011/01/24/20110124canadian-company-may-buy-arizona-american-water.html#ixzz1IIFZTRw0

"AWDI was set up by Canadian billionaire, Maurice Strong, in order to make billions from selling the water underneath the Baca Grande ranch to the Denver area. Strong first became involved with the 132,000-acre Luis Maria Baca Ranch #4 in 1978 when he became director of the Arizona-Colorado Land and Cattle Company, AZL in 1978. This agribusiness conglomerate owned a series of other companies active in feed lots, land, oil and gas, engineering, a commodities trading house and a bank. And one of their properties was the Baca Grande Ranch. Interestingly, AZL invited Strong to be one of its Directors before he even owned any shares in the company. Over the next seven years AZL was traded back and forth by numerous international corporations. In 1985, Strong's First Colorado Corporation purchased the Baca Grande ranch and in 1986 he created American Water Development, Inc. (AWDI) to pump and transport San Luis Valley water to the Denver area. It was Strong who severed the mineral rights from the surface rights on the Luis Maria Baca Ranch # 4. His AWDI scheme was defeated by a coalition of local citizens, ranchers and environmentalists in the late 1980's, and the surface and mineral rights of the Baca Ranch have subsequently each changed hands several times.
...
Strong wears many hats: Canadian industrialist, "environmentalist," and globalist. He was a trustee of The Rockefeller Foundation and The Aspen Institute, has, at various times, been Vice President of Dome Petroleum, President of Power Corporation, head of Petro-Canada, Hydro Canada, Ajax Petroleums Ltd., Alberta Gas Company, Ontario Hydro (North America’s largest utility), Canada Development Investment Corportion, Baca Petroleum Corporation, Baca Resources Ltd., MF Strong Management, International Energy Development Corporation, and most relevant to this issue, American Water Development, Inc (AWDI), the company that tried unsuccessfully to export billions of dollars worth of water from the San Luis Valley to the Denver area in the 1980's. A more complete bio for Strong can be accessed through the bio presented by The Project for the Exposure of Hidden Institutions under their article, "The People with the Endless Bios." Although Strong's bio is truly endless, one can see several key associations and themes run through his career (www.pehi.eu/organizations/introduction/PEHI_Maurice_F_Strong_bio.htm). Maurice Strong also founded and headed the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), an agent of the British Crown, was first Director of the U.N. Energy Program, chaired Canada's International Development Research Centre (INRC) and the Canada Development Investment Corporation ...
And Strong was one of a small group of capitalists who "opened up" China for exploitation by western corporations. Canadian Senator Jack Austin, President of Canada-China Business Council stated: "The Canada-China Council was organized in 1978, at the very beginning of the Den Xiaoping economic reform period. It was organized by a group of leaders, Paul Desmarais Sr., Maurice Strong, Paul Lin, and one or two others, to begin the development of a commercial relationship with China." "

http://sites.google.com/site/waterwatchalliance/backgroundonlexam%27sdrillplay

As you can see, most of the exploitation of the world's resources are not committed by the US alone. What we have is a global elite cabal, that conspire to destroy and control our planet. I know it's hard for most to conceive, and usually resort to name calling like, tin foil hat wearers. But those of us that do the research, we know.

"Canada emerged as the pivotal nation behind recent manoeuvres to block the United Nations Human Rights Council from recognizing water as a basic human right, according to international observers."

http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/409003

I think Britain has pretty dirty hands as well. And many times, I'm of the opinion the the U.S. and Canada get used as tools by the Brits.

So if you have any comments, that's cool. If not, then I hope I helped to enlighten anyone out there willing to read my lengthy posts.

Cheers

Wow, Thanks for the GREAt info. I am also intertested in water rights from a differnet perspective, I once owned a geophysics firm in Dallas and my best friend, who is a geophysicist, went to school at NMSU, and was heavily involved in "the water wars". So from him, I have interest. What you showed me in this last post is an entire organization, headed up under this Strong fellow, which seems very insiduous, in fact a bit criminal, but I am guessing they have gone under the radar for a while.!

All I can say is Dam! This just keeps me more interested in how the billionairres are "ruining" our earth, and in fact laying claim to the minerals water therein, all "legally" OK! Man, I guess I just can't move to New Zealand and call it quits then!

Again, Thanks.

Our pediatrician once said there is never a good reason to use chocolate. I have yet to see this man make a mistake.

we can't nuke somalia, ding dong

we can destroy every colorful mansion owned by Pirates. on Pirates Row in Mogadishu.

F-18's, air to ground missile, lay the whole Somalian Beverly Hills to waste.

and captured pirates on the high seas, tie an anchor to them and walk the plank

Your pedatrican is wrong agian! , ever give chocalte to a women ?. ;p

You're an idiot. Seriously.

Wow! Just spread the nuclear waste all over the world huh? Seems to be working pretty well in Japan all the way to the west coast of America.. And we call Terrorist extreme and crazy.. Yeah

Yea. let's nuke all the countries in the world, except those who have nukes because they can nuke us back, and the ones who have oil because we can invade them and take their oil.

And the day the extremists in those country come and bomb you, you'll be saying:

Oh my lord, how did this ever happen to us? Remember Afghanistan?

"Phew! For a minute I thought this was pertaining to America."

Soon...soon...

Stop fearmongering Prisme. To assume that violence in every part of the world will make it's way to the US, and to use this claim to justify US intervention, is rediculous. How in the world did you connect stone-throwing rebels to terrorist bombers in America?

Everybody says that till the extremist from those countries gain a foothold then launch a attack here then the conversation switches from "How could this happen" to " Why didn't we go and put a stop to them before they took that country over etc"

Seriously ppl might utter those statements but i think they fail to see the big picture here. This is no longer the 19th century when America can isolate itself from the world and not be affected.

Every nation, every economy is globally connected, what happens on the other side of the world affects us when the sun rises on this side of the world. If the markets in Europe crash u best believe the markets here will crash as well. If extremist bomb a oil line in Egypt or Libiya best believe the prices will skyrocket here . Tsunami in Japan best believe electronic prices will start going sky high. All globally connected.

So whenever unrest happens in order to maintain some sort of order in the GLOBAL SCHEME Of THINGS there has to be intervention.

The US spends the most money of any nation on its military which in turn makes us have the best technologically advanced military in the world which makes us into a sort of Global police due to the Super Power status we got when we defeated Russia in the Cold war. Hence when things go bad you look to the biggest and strongest police force to come in and make it right again.

It is just the way things are

Don't rest to much there Beev. It's on the way. Better decide which side you are on now.

Suggested viewing: "The day the earth stood still"-the original version! Michael Rennie, patricia Neal, and, of course, Lock Martin. I suggest this shoud be required viewing for everyone in so-called civilized nations.

You know, I wouldn't be surprised that if there are other worlds having the technology to get here from there, they have already taken one good hard look at us and said "screw 'em-they are hopeless, so why bother? Soon they won't be a threat anyways"."

Maybe the U.S. is just accumulating allies for when WWIII breaks out. We need manpower and military strongholds wherever we can get 'em - that is, if our own civil war doesn't emerge sooner

Chosen One comment 5.4

We need to stop policing the world and police ourselves. Or just police for now our closest neighbors-Why don't we go to Mexico and bomb the cartels? Why do we allow all those guns to get into Mex from the US? Who is pulling those strings to allow that? Those drugs are making their way here. Also, why can't we touch those poppy fields in Afghanistan where heroin will be made and again, reach the US-who is pulling those strings? This raises concerns with me because I live in TX (though not near the border) and hear/read about this constant and near problem.

I agree with you, The Beev, but want to ask people at large - what on earth do you expect to wake up to not far down the line if the countries of the world continue to fall into anarchy and war? Possible answer: An America more entrenched in war-profiteering than it is today. A world where the countries' leaders are all on the same (wrong) page? Who's interests are really being taken care of here?

I'm really hoping for comments on this because I'm becoming pessimistic that there are actually people out there who believe we need to work on America FIRST and help others as our resources permit. When I state "work on America" I do not mean what the government can do for us - I mean that we citizens need to clear our throats and make our voices heard if in fact we want to have anything to do with our futures. If you think, and I fear that's a very large IF, then you will not regurgitate something you've read, heard or seen. Let's tell each other what we know, what we want, and what we expect from our purported leaders.

I am sick and tired of seeing our resources misapplied for the personal gains of individuals. One think I believe - motive matters. Sorry if this is a bit off topic, but it seems like a good place to inquire.

So when are you signing up?????

I've decided to leave instead. I'm not willing to live among a bunch of neanderthals. Now prove my point.

Are you kidding me? The U.S. is not a third world country, not even close. Go live in Africa for a year and see if you still think we are a third world country.

the republicans a hoping when there done distroying the unions and middle calss, the low wage job creation from large corperations will happen. they won't have to give benefits or anything cause nobody will be there to force them to. what would be even worse is a tea party memeber winning none of them can even recall history right, they are doomed to repeat it. they would order troops to shoot on stricking workers. good thing i'm independent.

as for african nations ethnic cleansing is how they keep ther population in check. we know its wrong, but thats how they live.

@JR

...so after bashing republicans and 'tea party' members, and blatantly NOT bashing the clusterfrik crap of the democrats, you then profess that you are 'independent'

...uh...yeah...sure....

can't help it, can't stand stupid. the way republicans that are in power now act is just as bad as demicrates if i can't win i will take my marbels home, but then with republicans they just pick up there marbels and try to shove them down your throat.

i voted both parties last election had a neighbor who was republican voted for him cause he could explain his stand on the issues clearly better then the democrate did at the local level, but had to vote democrate at state level, then republican at fed level. reseachered both party candidates and issues, to bad some didn't run with there full agenda in the open. would not of voted republican at fed level if he had explained his position on public worker unions. but both parties lie. what can you do, some more then others. thats is why i'm having issues with republicans for now.

but comrad you voted party line didn't you?

...nah...in fact, I did a write-in vote for my brother...

...I figured any man who has only worked for 2 companies over a span of the last 30 years, rising up the ranks of those companies thru hard work and attending college at night (earning 1 Assoc., 1 Bach. and 2 Masters degrees) has to have their chit together more than any of the bozos in politics....

I don't buy that spreading democracy crap. First it was the introduction of religion to these places that led to slavery. Now we want to export democracy that we are yet to master. I wonder what it will lead to this time. We support dictatorship at our convenience then go to war when our dictator don't agree with us. Shame, Shame, Shame! The ignorant American will remain so because they feed well into what the media feeds them. Most never venture out of their State not to mention the country. We need to quit interferring with other country's affairs and leave them to their own vice.

@joey-2006152

"First it was the introduction of religion to these places that led to slavery"

Umm what ??????

Secondly leaving them to their own vices. Ok again we leave them the extremist gain a foothold in those countries and use them as a platform to launch attacks against us. Then everyone will be saying why didn't we go wipe them out before they got all organized.

Answer: Because some people believe we should not intervene until they come after us

Sifu

A republic is a democracy, just a way to implement it. That's so obvious I needn't have pointed it out, but then sometimes I just foolishly think that perhaps some people will take to some education.

News flash Joey...these places invented slavery hundreds of years (maybe thousands) ahead of any religion your trying to pin it on ever showed up in their neck of the woods.

ferr so how was it that the last president was appointed by the supreme court would not the populare vote out way the courts truely some democracy we live in. but then again corperations are peaple to to those retarted judges. opps sorry palin should of not used that word but i have the right to.

We're a DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC. A mix of the two, not just one or the other.

These are basic things you learn in the 9th grade government course. Jesus Christ people.

sifu,

you got it right- Benjamin Franklin when asked what type of government the Congressional Congress instated said:, " a republic, if you can keep it". this has been widely quoted and mis interpreted to fit the needs of whichever politician or political pundit uses it: from: constitutioncenter.org/ncc_edu_A_Republic_If_You_Can_Keep_It.aspx

If there is a lesson in all of this it is that our Constitution is neither a self-actuating nor a self-correcting document. It requires the constant attention and devotion of all citizens. There is a story, often told, that upon exiting the Constitutional Convention Benjamin Franklin was approached by a group of citizens asking what sort of government the delegates had created. His answer was: "A republic, if you can keep it." The brevity of that response should not cause us to under-value its essential meaning: democratic republics are not merely founded upon the consent of the people, they are also absolutely dependent upon the active and informed involvement of the people for their continued good health. -My emphasis

Laws are used to organize civilized people. NO AMOUNT OF LAW WILL CIVILIZE AN ANIMAL. We are talking about "The Wild West" revisited, only with lots more people and money plus machine guns. Such wars to dominate, by a single individual, have been going on for centuries. So, let's face facts......all we REALLY want is CHOCOLATE.....now isn't it?

An old oriental friend of mine said it so well of Chinese/American relations......"In the Orient, MONEY TALKS.....NOTHING ELSE.....ANYONE whose actions might stop the flow of trade WILL BE KILLED". So very simple and honest. YES, I "feel" for people subjected to war, but IT IS THEIR NATURE to do so. The ever-increasing Chinese presence in Africa (for exotic metals) WILL eventually "solve" some of these problems. Not a pretty thought, but war never is.....regardless of who or how it is done.

The internal problems of the United States are so severe that we cannot afford to hop all over the world and delve other people's problems "with kid gloves", and with "committee approval". It simply costs too much and solves nothing. ("The committee" doesn't FUND our "involvement".)

We need to look out for #1.....The United States...and make others TREMBLE at the thought of making us angry. THEN there will be peace......not before. All currently tried means seem to be failing on a constantly-increasing scale, now, don't they? Time to "get focused".

Pat

you self-righteous bastard... It is their nature...? And what is your nature? To enslave, rape, steal, proliferate, colonize and exploit. The African continent has suffered some of the most widespread brutality at the hands of Europeans/Americans that the world has seen. And as for the nature of Europeans/Americans..i.e....whites...every place on the planet that our influence has spread, war, corruption, and exploitation has followed. Your perspective on the people of Africa is tainted by your own self-aggrandizing views toward you and yours. Their nature is no more or less savage than yours, or are we not all humans?

Germany???.....if you arm the Germans......they will head for ....PARIS!

Very good point! Bet you never get an answer.

Rewrite,

Why does the UN call their troops “peace keeping force?” Actuality they are a third neutral arm forces in any trouble spot that they in. If someone comes to me with gun, tank and machinegun, I would not call them peace keeper. Peace keeper is someone who comes to negotiate peacefully without gun. They should rename the UN forces from peace keeping forces to “Neutral Forces.” In reality that is what they are a third neutral force not peace keeper. Peace keeper doesn’t carry gun it defeat the purpose of being call peace keeper. This must sound strange to the people of the country when the peace keeper arrive with gun saying I come in peace. Right! Give me a break!

Amen to that! And the tea party is what is riling it up...

Smitty Turn off MSN. Damn dim-wit.

chris for you sake you should move to a socialist country. Need a ticket. Need help packing. Do send a card from where ever you end up.

Gary

Pure communism has never worked. Pure capitalism has never worked. What is needed is a curbed capitalism similar to what we had before Wall Street took over without any oversight.

To both the Marxists and the Friedmanists..........Trying the same thing over and over hoping to get a different result.....what's that called?

Gary

capitalism is socialism for the elite. Let's talk about profit entitlement. Let's talk about up up and away.

You got it there kedbob! Capitalism is socialism for the elite. Now it's starting to be communism for the elite. Look at what the new rich businessman governor of Michigan has been pulling in the short time he has been in office. Yeah, the previous governor wasn't good, but this guy is passing all kinds of radical measures that don't hurt anyone but the middle class. Word on the street is that he doesn't care if he ever gets re-elected to a second term--he just wants to pass everything he can in as short of time he can, just for his own big business and personal agenda. And they talk about Obama--this guy Snyder is becoming a regular little dictator!

Chris: You ,Labeling ALL THESE VARIOUS COUNTRIES INCLUDING OURS, AS Capitalist shows just how Blind ,Ignorant and Agenda driven you are. True Capitalism has no Gov't favorites Subsidies and Gov't accounting wizardry . But,it's been the STANDARD for so long ,you Apparently consider it NORMAL. Thanks for CLUEING us all in, however. Very instructive & always rewarding to sample PROGRESSIVESPEAK FirstHand.

The world is still in the kindergarten phase. I don't think we'll ever get to the senior prom. Don't even think about graduation.

Jack, I missed it, which US oil company has moved into Afghanistan?

don't try sifu gary probably a tea bagger they can't even get local history right. is there even a us oil company anymore. if i last looked most don't have any loyal to the us. its a wounderful global market.

And George Bush going AWOL during a shooting war, better known as desertion, is considered to be military experience?

Our greatest commanders in cheif, Lincoln and Roosevelt didn't have military experience.

Get real buddy!

Do you think Bush had military training? He was in the national guard of the 60's, where the rich kids hid from the draft and the viet nam war. No combat training at all, no time on the lines, nothing. Oh, yes, it did show didn't it, he didn't do anything right, up to and including picking generals...he just played the part and 8 years and 6 years and nothing to show for it yet...great job of pretending he did, fooled a bunch of republicans anyhow.

A couple of "tours" with MACV would have opened his chimpy eyes, for sure!

RC, I certainly don't mean to offend, but it would seem that you, and the majority of people responding on this comment thread, really need to address the issue: the topic of the article concerns the growing threat of full-scale civil war in Côte d’Ivoire, peace and stability in West Africa, the intransigence of incumbent President Laurent Gbagbo in the aftermath of a legitimate election victory by opposition leader Alassane Ouattara, et cetera. It is not about how unhappy you or anybody else might be with regard to President Obama's capabilities or his lack of 'military experience' as you see it — and I could easily digress here as well by saying that Barack Obama is attempting to deal with the impossible mess that he, the American people, and the world at large inherited from his idiotic predecessor [just get on Google sometime and take a gander at Privileged Character George W. Bush's illustrious record of 'military service' with the Air National Guard in Texas and Alabama: that should be enough to piss you off (or anybody else, for that matter)].

Nor does the article have anything whatsoever to do with the 'popular uprising' in Wisconsin, the Tea Party 'philosophy,' or funny ha-ha jokes about the price of chocolate.

If these typically self-absorbed Americans were to see first-hand the results of a military coup in a West African country, see the horror and the misery unleashed by the actions of undisciplined, trigger-happy soldiers — as I have — one can only hope that they would be discussing this life-and-death matter with the deep concern and the seriousness it merits.

I have to laugh, the blacks thought they were electing an African American; the Left thought they were electing a Lefty Lib and in reality what we've got is a Muslim. Stupid, stupid people. What have you done to us???

Ferro,

Lincoln was an officer during the Black Hawk War (which was really a skirmish). He never saw combat.

Rick, a great president doesn't have to be a military man nor does he have to be a civilian. A great president is one who makes his nation better for during whatever challenges it faces during his time in tenure, whether it be for 1 term (JFK), 2 (Abraham Lincoln), or more (FDR). Your rant seems like your saying a President that was former SOF would be the best choice is not always true. Some people will steer the world to conflict easier given their military background while others (Eisenhower) will try to prevent the spreading of conflict because it is something that if you have not borne witness to, you have no idea what goes on & to you, whether you survive the experience or not.

Now, back on topic- The Ivory Coast is erupting into civil war because a despot doesnt want to cede power but ultimately if anyone should intervene, it should be the African Union, the United Nations. We as a nation do not have the right to step into every country we please, each nation is a sovereign nation & just because we have the might, does not mean we have the right. While, ultimately the world is becoming much more interconnected, & what happens next door may affect here, it does not mean that we should be throwing ourselves into every fight. While there are some fights that should be done, there are others that aren't our concern. I am not advocating isolationism, that still drew us into WWI, but I think that our priority should be to fix many of the problems we as a nation have at home with a secondary focus of helping the world, but neither should be exclusive to the other.

To MarineinAfghanistan,

Thank you for your wise and considerate comments, and thank you for your service. I wish you Godspeed.

Dear Rick Carter - XLEagle1,

As of May 1st, 2011, time for you to eat your words.
I hope they are tasty.

Yours Truely,

Asbestos

The extreme Republicans will be strapping themselves to bombs! Palin's vest will have pretty little rhinestones all over it.. The last thing you'll hear before she detonates herself will be "You Bectha" !!!!!!!! LMAO

damn we would never get that lucky..and i luv the name. Its TRUE. Wats more important that bull@!$%# "family values" line-they are such hypocrytes. MONEY in ur pocket is way more important. You work for a living, these jokers want the SS kitty and anything else that would enrich them-and put WE the people out on our asses. Wake up!!!