Anon, I only need 5 words to prove you are off the reservation: Social Security, Medicare, Post Office

Yeah... I can see the ol' "foot in the door" principle rearing its ugly head on this one.

Anybody else seem to think that what these people really need is a "coffee enema"?

Well Said, Jack. Hollywood politics probably relates to "inside Hollywood" every bit as much as it does to national politics. I don't even pretend to be well-educated as to the inner workings of the Hollywood folks, but I'll sure take your word for it. Thanks.

I think you are right about the bone part, but in my humble opinion, I think they they threw the big bone to take some heat off of themselves (lefties) with the troops. Though I do believe some in hollywood support our brothers and sisters in arms, to the vast majority of them, it does not fit their political schtick. For them to "now" support the troops, is just their hypocritical way of supporting their darling-in-chief, who is dying in the polls and his socialist agenda in great jeopardy of doing so as well.

Good Post 1redcent. I agree. TR was in a rather interesting situation which prompted him to have to put accountability into companies and their products. I am a capitalist. However, during TR's time, monopolies and corrupt business practices put a large chink into competitive business practices. For whomever did not know, the Feds came down on Coca-Cola because their product contained trace amounts of cocaine, which created a dependency among it's customers (hence the name "Coca"). Another famous product that was wildly popular for a short time, was a wine, which was also laced with cocaine. This mostly forgotten (even its name by me) product was a favorite of many a celebrity and politician alike. The reason was the cocaine it contained (at the time, a legal but much unknown product, bought over-the-counter). Another good example of business practice gone wrong, is Thomas Edison and his inability to keep from stealing other peoples inventions and claiming them as his own. He was notorious for squelching anyone who tried to compete with him in any market he was associated with, the majority of the time in rather nefarious ways.

I'm not saying that TR was an angel, by any means, but I do see your point.

If the bailout of the banks, as bitter a pill as it was to swallow, had not happened, then we would have been in a depression that would have made the first one look like a cakewalk. The REASON for the need for the bailout is what has blood shooting out of my eyes... the Democrats repealing of the Glass-Steagall Act. By removing this ever-so-important obstacle between commercial and investment banking institutions, Dodd, Frank and the rest of the Dems - along with a few idiot Republicans - opened Pandora's box. GW Bush had warned congress about the consequences several times, but the majority did not listen. What Bush should have done was take the news to the people by any means necessary - not that most would have understood the ramifications, but at least he would have tried. NOTHING has been done to bring this to any significant light. No independent investigation. No MSM outcry. Why? CDA (Cover the Dem's asses).

Bailing out failed corporations, such as GM and Chrysler and the UAW, was the biggest filching of the American people (not to mention the "legal" bondholders), in my book. "Too big to fail"? They would not have failed. By allowing them to file for bankruptcy, they could have gone to the Unions and said, "Hey, if you still want a job, your pay will be reduced by 40%, your healthcare will be reduced to basic essentials and your pensions will be reduced by 50%. If you do not agree to these terms, you can leave and we will hire others who are willing to help make our companies profitable and therefor, job sustaining. Take it or leave it".

Saying the US needs a hi-speed rail system like Europe has is tantamount to saying all Kirsty Ally needs to lose weight are a hundred triple whoppers with cheese, each day, to look good. Europe's population concentration serves as a good platform (pun intended) for expensive rail systems. Major cities and towns are much more clustered than they are in the US, serving the majority of the population, thus making it more practical (i.e. easier to get to). Also, it's collective political-economic system (tax everything having to do with personal ownership of anything with an engine) makes it impractical to own your own car. Also, a great number of people in Europe have been traveling by rail for over 100 years and are used to it.

Here, in the US, the vast majority of our country is spread out to high heaven. Where would the major stations be located for people to embark/disembark? NYC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta? This begs for the question of "who this system is actually intended to serve"? If connecting major population centers is important and necessary, then make those population centers pay for it.

BTW - How many people, who this rail system will not serve in any way, are going to have to surrender their land to "imminent domain", for the sake of the "common good"?

How the Democrats are dealing with healthcare, sounds eerily like a classic "date rape" story. A small majority of Americans agree to a date with the Democratic Party (President and majority Congress & heretofore referred to as "he"), because they thought "he" was kind of cute. On that date, "he" buys America an expensive dinner and invites her in for drinks. "He" starts to put the moves on America and she starts to feel uncomfortable. She tries to get up to leave, but "he" uses some smooth talking to get her back onto the couch. America sits back down. "He" slyly slips a "mickey" into America's kool-aid and waits for it to take effect. Unfortunately for "he", the drug-laced kool-aid has no affect on her, so he becomes more overtly aggressive. America, again, says "NO" in a more assertive way and starts to stuggle. "He" says, "C'mon, it feels right... it'll be good for you. America tries to get up and leave again, but "he" says "We want it and we want it now" and "It doesn't matter to me what you think".

Hope America remembers to bring a taser on this date.

Oh NO! Not another Mary Matlin/James Carville match. I could just hear the sounds coming from that household... sort of like Tesla rods. Tzzzsssst Tzzzssst TZZZZSSST!