The Political Discussion Thread

[capricaabydos]

*squishy huggles*....I know...and for what it's worth if I were to somehow meet up with your ex I would likely be placed in jail for murder...

*hugs back*
thanks it was a tough descition, I felt so lonely at the time, my bf and I were sort of distant from each other at the time, but he changed his mind, it wasn't easy for us, but in the end it was my choice, my doctor would not perform a partial birth abortion, and the only doctor that would was 4 hours away, I had no valid reason to do one, I chose to have him, because its not his fault I made a mistake, I had sex with my ex, we used protection and I ended up pregnant, it wasnt the right time in my hectic life to be having another baby, but why should my baby pay for my mistakes, my grandma always told me that if I was gonna act old enough to spread my legs, I had to be responsible enough to care for my kids, I might not have a job right now and its taken a lot of talking from my bf, and I learned to swallow my pride many times in order to make sure my kids are taken care of

[Ben 'Teal'c would WIN!!' Noble]

I think single mothers should be entitled to help from the state and the father, no one should live off welfare I think it is unfair for people to live off the backs of others. But I don't think adoption and charity should be the only option as single mothers could be given tax breaks and help with paying bill and everything. I think it stupid though here in the UK that you are financially better off being a single parent than living together as a couple with a child. That's what you get with a labour government though .

[xxxevilgrinxxx]

I don't want to mention any one post but I have to say that, while expecting people to take stock of what they can afford is always a wise decision, that financial situations can change suddenly, sometimes drastically. Just look at this latest economy - all sorts of people losing their homes, their jobs. If they've already got X number of children, are they somehow now irresponsible?

But I have the sneaking suspicion that this has less to do with family and children and economies than it does to do with race and certain people having children.

I have no intention of getting into the abortion debate but I have to say that it takes some nerve to say that women should be responsible for the children they produce, all the while denying them the ability to do so, and blaming them no matter which choice gets made. Don't like abortion? Don't have one.

[Col.Foley]

Interesting how someone can have no intention of getting into the abortion debate while posting on the abortion debate.

And I am having a hard time of following your logic though. Are you saying that Conservatives and the Libertarians who want people to have babies are racially motivated? You are right that the whole Abortion debate has a lot to do with race, originally the 'Progressives' that were starting to advocate and talk about it were doing so advocating using it to get rid of the lessers of society. The blacks, the hispanics, and probably the Jews. To sort of weed them out through long term eugenics.

As for the irresponsibility...no they are not. As in not irresponsible. The fact of the matter is that no matter what, we can agree obviously, that having kids is a big descision. One that should be taken not lightly but severely. And if you make that descision you can make the descision to put someone up for adoption. Or you can work through it as many families do every single day, some quite succssively.

And yes if you do not like abortions then do not have to have one. But...granted I am trying to follow the logic of the post so I might be wrong and do correct me if I do so... but. Abortion is an acceptable way of taking responsibility for the life growing in your stomach? What about adoption? Because if you believe that the life growing in someones womb is as worthy of their life, their liberty, and their pursuit of happiness, like I do and many others then taking 'responsibility' by having an abortion is the equivalent of you letting a criminal go, he goes and kills someone, and then you decide to take it upon yourself to kill him. I believe that would be defined as murder. Though I could be ignorant. Either way people do have to take responsibility for their actions, and abortions is not a way of taking responsibility it is a way of avoiding it. And this goes for the man as well as the woman. I am not letting my gender off the hook that easily.

[Rickington]

While this question is not one of American politics, it is still relevant...

What do you think of the European Union?

[lordofseas]

While this question is not one of American politics, it is still relevant...

What do you think of the European Union?

It can crash and burn, and I still wouldn't like it.

[Snookie16]

With the bolded, I find I am in complete agreement with you: There should be a stark dividing line between war and crime. Of course, as you move on, I find that I disagree with you (imagine that ). As much as it gets bandied about, people crossing the border isn't an "invasion" in the war sense, and committing an act of war with Mexico by shooting her citizens? No.

Continue to address it as a criminal matter and go after those who make money off them IN THE US for hiring them. You want it stopped, stop it there.

I'm still waiting for them to build the fence that was authorized in 2006...oh yeah Pelosi & gang "defunded" it- maybe Boehner can re authortize the funding.
As to the peope crossing the border- they are being involved in a escalating circle of crime- first they are here illegally, working "under the table" (illegally) and often they "pay their way" to the US by serving as drug mules. The increase in violent crime in many cities due to the illegal population can be staggering. indianapolis (where I live) has seen a huge increase in drug violence as a mexican gang has moved in and is trying to take over. There have been wholesale slaughters of the families of the dealers. Then there is the increase in other crimes due to criminal illegals simply being deported and re-entering the states. We currently have a man in prision for child rape (she was 5 years old!) and the man had arrests for simliar crimes in Oregon and California but had been simply deported, now he will spend the next 77 years (he is only 21)in an Indiana jail. The mexican gov't paid for a lawyer for him and has even gotten the Obama administration to try to pressure Gov. Daniels to deport him. Daniels says no- when he has served his time in Indiana then he can be deported. It might not be a war in the classic sense but it is war on our safety and security.

Hands up who wants an open border with an country that's in the middle of a civil war? Anybody? Mexico is tearing itself apart, Mexico has suffered nearly 40,000 deaths in the last 3 years from fighting the Cartels. For comparison in Afghanistan, total deaths on all sides, including civilians comes to about 85,000 from 9 and half years of fighting. It's not a criminal matter, the U.S border with Mexico is a border with a warzone, a warzone that is more intense than Afghanistan. The smart thing to do is to control it, there needs to be a heavy military presence, control over who's coming, refugee camps set up to control those trying to escape the fighting, identify whose coming and going.

The fact is though that Obama ignores the problem because he's terrified of it. A war on his doorstep, the idea of refugee camps, military intervention possibly, well he really doesn't want that. So he's chosen to stick his fingers in his ears and hope it goes away. While ignoring the fact that violent civil wars can spill over into neighbouring countries and there can be major problems when there are mass movements of refugees. The border issue with Mexico has nothing to do with immigration (though I'm sure there are a few groups who would like it closed permanently whatever the situation) and everything to do with securing a border into a warzone.

Well said!

Charitable donations are tax deductible.

Catholic Charities have been effective in helping people in poverty but it has not been effective in helping the homeless. This is not an issue of the people who are down on their luck but are eventually able to support themselves. This is an issue of people who need constant supervision of some form to facilitate social interactions and more importantly, to ensure that they take their medications so they don't fall back into a downward spiral. There are at the very least 200,000 such homeless individuals and about an equivalent number of prison inmates who need that kind of care.

the mental health situation in the USA is hampered by the contsitution- actually you can't force people to take their meds, go to therapy, etc...many of the homeless wandering the streets have conditions diagnosed they should be taking meds for. and yes, there are many programs for the poor to buy medications at a greatly reduced rate. many cities (like indy) have medications available through homeless shelters(with a dr's Rx on file and yes they also have several free clinics in the city)- but noncompliance is a serious problem among the mentally ill.

yes Cause with Americans, they will complain that they dont get payed too much and what to get paided enough to support the $500 car payment, $200 Iphone bil $500 house payment and demand the companies pay for all there medical bills cause it costs to much for americans and distrupts the lifestyle of having all there expense stuff. Then if they dont get what they want they sue the company or get others to go on strike with them.

And people wonder why jobs are given to Mexicans and other people and go overseas for cheaper labor.

And millions waiting in line get declined to do it the legal way.

you do know it is illegal to pay any american less than the minimum wage correct? so Joe Smith down the street CAN'T work for $2/hr as the illegals do correct? I wish the current gov't would use a program called e-Verify more...it verifies the status of anyone applying for work- ok that is only for those that try to remain legal. As to the bozos hiring illegals for peanuts- they need to be shut down and their business profits confiscated to pay their abused workers.

[Rickington]

It can crash and burn, and I still wouldn't like it.

Indeed. I really hope that a majority of the major European nations pull out of the EU before it's too late for them (economically, etc). For those of you who don't know much, here's a summary through the following two videos:

And I must say, Nigel Farage is epic (and right, IMO)!

[Col.Foley]

While this question is not one of American politics, it is still relevant...

What do you think of the European Union?

Dangerous organization.

[Rickington]

Dangerous organization.

Exactly. I totally agree with you on that. Farage (the guy in the videos) hit it right on the nail, per se, because, seriously, if/when (I predict it'll be when, and not if ) the economy of Portugal and possibly afterwords, Spain, collapses, the economic costs of bailing them out will completely drain the economies of the EU states.

[Rudy Pena]

you do know it is illegal to pay any american less than the minimum wage correct? so Joe Smith down the street CAN'T work for $2/hr as the illegals do correct? I wish the current gov't would use a program called e-Verify more...it verifies the status of anyone applying for work- ok that is only for those that try to remain legal. As to the bozos hiring illegals for peanuts- they need to be shut down and their business profits confiscated to pay their abused workers.

I am not talking about getting payed less than minimum wage. I am talking about them getting paid at such a rate, but cant afford there lifestyle of what I mentioned. So they complain and demand to get paid more to support there lifestyle.

Edit: I dont know of any rate people in America get paid while being here illegally.

[Col.Foley]

Exactly. I totally agree with you on that. Farage (the guy in the videos) hit it right on the nail, per se, because, seriously, if/when (I predict it'll be when, and not if ) the economy of Portugal and possibly afterwords, Spain, collapses, the economic costs of bailing them out will completely drain the economies of the EU states.

Which won't make the strongest economy in Europe (Germany) very happy, and bad things happen when Germany gets sad.

[jelgate]

While this question is not one of American politics, it is still relevant...

What do you think of the European Union?

Its a wondeful organization for those inside in it but terrible for those outside of it. The EU imposes high tarrifs on trade outside the EU to encourage the trading between countries in the union

[Ukko]

Ferage is an idiot.

[Rickington]

Its a wondeful organization for those inside in it but terrible for those outside of it. The EU imposes high tarrifs on trade outside the EU to encourage the trading between countries in the union

Tell that to Greece and Ireland, and possibly in the near future to Portugal and Spain... :|

Ferage is an idiot.

That's your opinion.