I love America

[DaBurglar]

american politics can be nasty and dysfunctional, check history, it has always been that way. americans elect the person they feel is right for that particular time period. after nixon, they wanted squeaky clean, they got carter. after carter, they wanted economic growth/prestige, they got reagan. after bush 1, they wanted someone who understood them, they got clinton. after monica, they wanted clean again, they got bush 2. after financial collapse, they wanted out of wars, the rich to pay more and free stuff, they got obama.   as far as wars go, i am no expert. but, i get the sense that since ww2, america has fought with one hand tied behind it's back. remember dresden. remember hiroshima. these events, while horrific, won wars, but will never happen again.   americans are quick to blame the pols for their problems, but they largely get what they asked for and they deserve the results. many were ready to blame all their financial woes on bush, the banks and wall street. while each has to take some reponsibility, our financial problems were a result of 35 years of overspending, over borrowing and not saving enough. many americans need look no further than the mirror to see who was is to blame for their plight.  I find no fault with anything said here except the historical references to Dresden and Hiroshima and the whole "Since World War 2, America has fought with one hand tied behind its back..." theory wrong, but since notes1 Began this statement with "I'm NO EXPERT", I cannot fault him too much personally.....I'll just briefly refute his statement using historical, political and economic facts.But before I do,  DID YOU GET WHAT I JUST SAID NOTES1???    Along with galeygoo and others, I AGREE with much of what you said and believe.....especially your last sentence where you accurately point out that the last 35-40 years have seen skyrocketing debt and more and more WASTE, fraud, corruption and government DYSFUNCTION, which we cannot blame on any one single solitary person (or president) but which is due in fact to a COLLECTIVE guilt shared by all Americans who have voted (or failed to vote) for the clowns we have elected to CONGRESS and the White House!!!!     You are right to spread blame around because that is where it belongs......EVERYWHERE.      You also may know (and no doubt realize) that in terms of our National DEBT, the real culprit has been THE CONGRESSIONAL branch since the Vietnam War, because quite simply, CONGRESS is the ONE AND ONLY branch that can authorize both spending and DEBT (or deficit spending like we have been doing for the last 40 plus years!)        That's right folks, a convenient fact most people totally forget (or do not even KNOW or realize) is that the PRESIDENT can only  SUGGEST  or recommend Budgets or spending....each year he submits a Budget (or a "wish list")  that he wants to see the nation pursue......since he is the leader of his political party (in theory anyway)  whatever the President SUGGESTs  is obviously given due consideration and priority....BUT he does NOT authorize the actual spending or the issuance of DEBT by the US Government.....that is the job of CONGRESS ALONE!!!     So it is wrong to place the lion's share of blame on any US president (either in office or past office holders) for Fiscal Problems or debt/deficits......CONGRESS is the culprit, and since Congress is elected by the PEOPLE (especially the House or Representatives who serve only 2 year terms)  we therefore have to blame the AMERICAN people for tolerating this imbalance in spending  versus  revenues!!The historical reference to Wars requires a different post, so I will address that in  another post shortly.

[chattycattty]

Regardless of who we vote in they are going to do whatever the hell they want anyway including voting in their own pay raises and special pork flavored benefit packages. When was the last time you were able to vote whether your congressman got a pay raise or not?

[notes1]

so, only congress can spend money, the president can only suggest. POTUS just authorized that nearly 5 million illegals can stay in this country. he alone decided not to enforce the law.  there is NO cost for this. healthcare, education, food stamps, i could go on forever. when did congress vote on this is? how is this going to be paid? and, do not tell me that whatever scant amount of taxes these new folks pay, will even come close to covering the costs. now, do not go on one of your rants about we are a country of immigrants. this is not a conversation about immigration. it is simply refuting your statement that ONLY congress spends money.  you make soooooo many broad based comments, that continue to proven wrong.

[Carcounter]

Anyone have a problem with a sitting Secretary of State accepting foreign contributions to her "Foundation". Still taking them even though she may be President one day. Nothing to see here. No conflict of interest.

[edog743]

John kerry is the secretary of state. Hillary resigned months ago.

[Carcounter]

Edog, she took them while she was SOS.

[Carcounter]

She resigned more than a few months ago. Kerry was sworn in Feb.2013. 2 years ago. Point is she was taking the contributions then and still is now as the president in waiting.

[edog743]

Is it against any law to accept these contributions?

[chattycattty]

They all do self serving stuff like that. Dems and Reps alike. It does not make any difference. The republicans are just more hypocritical that the democrats. That's the only difference I see in the two parties.

[Carcounter]

As someone famous once said "what difference does it make". Some of these contributions also came from countries that sponsored terrorism,even the main stream media is lambasting her. What does that tell you?