@Edwin Moelder
Given Mr. Moelder’s litany of titles and phrases for said Jesus, here’s another. The great scholar Maimonides cited Jesus as “Yeshua the Heretic, may his bones be ground to dust.”

@Bahiabob
King Obama? the National Security Force? C’mon! We just got rid of The Great Dictator, the man who established the Department of Homeland Security, a term harkening directly back to the Nazi regime. The level of surveillance and censorship we have today is a direct result of the man’s absolute disregard for the other two branches of government. And his puppet co-leader George Bush was no saint, either!

Unless you are in total agreement with socialism, it is not possible to feel optimistic about anything this president and congress are doing. It’s also very obvious that the president is lacking ethics and the ability to associate with anyone with an ethical backbone. No, this is not a time to be optimistic but rather a time to understand what is really happening, on November 4, the GREAT DECEPTION occured and we are now living out his horrible regime.

King Obama, indeed.
Thanks, Mr. Zogby.
I logged in with interest, but I fear that your well-intentioned forum is becoming yet another soapbox for the far right,which zealously seeks out and takes over venues like this to promote its grips and causes.
Since some here obviously do have an interest in serious discussion, I’ll check back.

@John Whelan
John Whelan, I’m sick of the far right, too! And wondering when the Republican party will learn to do enough math to figure out that the far right are a numerical minority! Oh, they’re powerful enough to cost Republican candidates more and more elections, leaving our country without meaningful balance in our government – just not powerful enough to help attract a widening pool of voters. And, unfortunately, the right wing big mouths are indeed powerful enough to keep people like you and me away from any meaningful discussions. They will also probably prevent me from voting Republican in the future … which I have done my entire life. I’m interested in what’s best for the country, not what’s best for the right wing special interest groups funding our candidates and dominating all public discussions.

Hope to see you around more, even if we don’t agree with each other about anything other than our disdain for the right wing.

Good to hear from you, Smart Cookie.
We likely will disagree a lot, since I’m a confirmed Democrat. But as one old enough to remember great Republicans like Everett Dirksen, Margaret Chase Smith and the Saltonstalls, I’m a firm believer in a healthy two-party system. But some of these loudmouths, with their talk radio populism and contempt for intellect and education, are giving the GOP a bad name.

Questions you should ask because I would like to know:

1) Do you think poor people are economically challenged because they are:
a. Uneducated
b. Oppressed by white Christian patriarchy
c. Lazy

2) Is socialism a threat to personal liberty?

3) Is a socialist government a threat to privet industry?

4) Should publicly funded universities be forced to have staff ideology quotas so that more diversity of viewpoints are represented in academia?

5) Do you think that it is good for National Guard Units to stage “Cordon and Knock” drills in civilian neighborhoods as was the case recently in Iowa?

6) If the federal government decided to enforce so called “reasonable” restrictions on firearms ownership that required the mandatory recurring fee based registration of all firearms do you think your neighbors would resist with violence believing such restrictions would be a violation of American liberty?

7) Should the president produce more documents to prove once and for all that he is a natural born citizen to those that do not believe he was vetted properly?

Do you think it was ethical for homosexuals with in the American Psychological Association to change homosexuality from a mental illness to a non mental illness?

Thanks for illustrating my point, Android.
Political extremists are drawn to this sort of forum like moths to a flame.
And they soon drown out and squeeze out any attempt at intelligent dialogue.

@SmartCookie
Instead of using your spaces to complain with the right wing use it to express your ideas. I have read several blogs all complaining about the right. Is it because they do not agree with your ideas so they are not worthy of have a sane thought or what it the problem here.

@John Whelan
I am also old enought to remember when the democrats where not stooping to being mean spirited and demeaning as I see today. Why is it that the GOP are loudmouths with contempt for education and intelect because they do not agree with you? They are expressing a different vision on what is happening than yours, does not mean they are stupid!

Some of the thoughts of the bloggers above may be worthy of further consideration, but collectively, they add up to nothing but a mish-mash. I’d love to have my views viewed, but I just don’t see much “communication” taking place here. I think I’ll take a pass on this one.

It’s not just a matter of a “different vision,” Nancy.
Rich Lowry, David Brooks, Kathleen Parker, Bill Kristol, and several other prominent conservatives have expressed dismay over the vulgarity and anti-intellectualism of the talk radio subculture that has taken over as the public face of the Republican Party. It’s cost the GOP two major national election defeats. If it continues, it threatens to strand the Republican Party on the cultural fringe for a long, long time.

I agree with John Whelan but I would suggest that to some extent all the media encourage the diviseness and partisanship that is so intense. Even the left-leaning media constantly hashes out every comment, any and every foolish move. At a certain point, if we wish to be more unified, we need to just stop the fighting. An example: after the stimulation package was passed, some Republican congressmen went back and talked it up in their districts, even though they had voted against it. On MSNBC, I think that Chris Matthews and Keith Oberman both made a big deal about how this was hypocritical. I found that unnecessary and divisive. Why not see it as a good thing that even someone who had voted against it was now coming around and speaking supportively?

Answering Android’s somewhat ludicrous questions:
Questions you should ask because I would like to know:

1) Do you think poor people are economically challenged because they are:
a. Uneducated–PROBABLY SOMETIMES–THIS IS WHY WE HAVE MAKE MORE OF AN EFFORT IN THIS COUNTRY TO VALUE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT EDUCATION.
b. Oppressed by white Christian patriarchy–HUH? UH, NO…
c. Lazy–OBVIOUSLY SOME PEOPLE ARE POOR BECAUSE THEY ARE LAZY OR FOR WHATEVER REASON CHOOSE NOT TO WORK, BUT MOST POOR PEOPLE WORK QUITE HARD. OUR SYSTEM DOESN’T MAKE IT EASY TO GET TO GET AHEAD IF YOU’RE POOR. SO MANY THINGS FAVOR THE WEALTHY. FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU DON’T HAVE A GOOD CREDIT RATING YOU GET CHARGED SUCH HIGH INTEREST RATES THAT YOU MAY BE UNABLE TO GET OUT OF DEBT.

2) Is socialism a threat to personal liberty? NO, OF COURSE NOT.

3) Is a socialist government a threat to privet industry? HOW SOCIALIST ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IN GOVERNMENT THE CONCEPT OF “EVERYTHING IN MODERATION” IS PROBABLY THE BEST COURSE.

4) Should publicly funded universities be forced to have staff ideology quotas so that more diversity of viewpoints are represented in academia? IS THIS TO MAKE SURE THERE WOULD BE A FEW CONSERVATIVES OR SOMETHING?

5) Do you think that it is good for National Guard Units to stage “Cordon and Knock” drills in civilian neighborhoods as was the case recently in Iowa? NO

6) If the federal government decided to enforce so called “reasonable” restrictions on firearms ownership that required the mandatory recurring fee based registration of all firearms do you think your neighbors would resist with violence believing such restrictions would be a violation of American liberty? NO, DON’T BE SILLY. I OWN GUNS AND I LIVE IN A COMMUNITY WHERE PROBABLY 50% OF THE RESIDENTS HUNT, BUT THEY ARE ALL RESPONSIBLE AND CONCERNED ABOUT SAFE GUN USE AND OWNERSHIP. NO ONE I KNOW WOULD OBJECT TO HAVING TO REGISTER THEIR GUNS.

7) Should the president produce more documents to prove once and for all that he is a natural born citizen those that do not believe he was vetted properly? NO, BUT ALL THE PEOPLE SUGGESTING THIS NONSENSE SHOULD BE MADE TO STAND ON THEIR HEADS FOR TEN MINUTES EVERY DAY IN HOPES THAT THE EXTRA BLOOD WILL HELP THEM TO START THINKING AGAIN.

Do you think it was ethical for homosexuals with in the American Psychological Association to change homosexuality from a mental illness to a non mental illness? THIS IS TOO SILLY TO RESPOND TO.

The greatest threat to U.S. domestic security is clearly Mexico, on two levels: the invasion by millions of Mexicans, and the complete breakdown of law and order as the drug cartels destroy the Mexican government. I expect war to break out on the Texas-Mexico border before Obama’s term expires. I hope you cover this in all its myriad manifestations.

Has something now changed on this blogging thread??

Why was my last post deleted? My posts are always informative and to the point. I don’t call people names, but merely point out facts.

Please tell my why it was deleted?

@Art LeBeau

By all means, Mr LeBeau’s post should not have been deleted.
Even though he and I do not see eye to eye, he should not be censored!

Art LeBeau :
Has something now changed on this blogging thread??
Why was my last post deleted? My posts are always informative and to the point. I don’t call people names, but merely point out facts.
Please tell my why it was deleted?

We are only deleting posts that are spam or advertising. No one has deleted your post. It’s possible it didn’t save properly on the page – try again and it should stay.

I might decide to post later.
Thanks Mr. Holland as you are so correct, even if we disagree everyone has the right to their opinion.

Katy never would I post any spam nor advertize anything on a blog as I do not believe in it.

On the post deleted it had appeared on the blog page after I submitted it and was posted as I saw it on the blog. Later when I logged back on it was gone. I will accept your response as I have no way to dispute.

You are delusional, Did you remember to take your meds?

@Laurie Searl Laurie….you really need to wake up.

Socialism has NEVER worked any place it was tried…and YES socialism is a threat to personal liberty…duh…

Our colleges are a breeding ground for future little hitlers and communists. So yes an opposing point of view unencumbered by the administration of the school would be refreshing…we have enough far left loonies teaching today.

Education in this country is now indoctrination…a young 20 something co-worker and Obama supporter has told me to my face that several of her professors are socialists and promoted that way of governing as the “way of the future”, and that it is WRONG for people to want to be rich or successful for “personal gain” as that did not promote the wellness of the people as a whole”…..

Ummmmmm last time I checked, we were still a free republic and success was something to strive for not shun….Oh wait thats right King Obama told his followers in his book that you will not be allowed to succeed…that “people will hold you back” the only ones I see trying to keep people down all have the letter “D” behind their names on the news. You see if “too many” regular people become successful, they will realize that the democrats have been lying to them, and that they are the party of keeping the poor poor, and stealing elections like the one in Minnesota today….I was a BIG supporter of the democrats for years until they became beholding to communist and socialist groups.

I guess Kruschef was right….he said back in 1959 that this country would be under socialist rule, something President Eisenhowers Secretary of Commerce strongly denounced….but Kruschef told him we will feed it to your grandchildren, in their schools, and by the time they are adults your country will be a socialist state. So you see the problem IS the SCHOOLS and small minded people like you who were educated in them.

Just checking how this works.

What an excellent opening paragraph, Mr. Zogby.

It’s encouraging to read that there are so many Americans out there who care about the deeper things as I do. You wouldn’t know we exist judging by the MSM, most cable news, radio with an agenda, and many of the off-the-rail righties blogging here.

But we do exist in healthy numbers. We may not have much of a public voice but we are a force, we believe in the golden rule and neighbor helping neighbor and rising tides lift all boats and all that “quaint” stuff that bozos with an agenda label with all kinds of fear words like “socialism”.

We elected this President at his time because it IS time for a major course correction. Even some former extremists like T. Boone Pickens can see it clearly. Thank you, John Zogby, for realizing that.

@John Whelan

Hey John, well most of my friends are Democrats … as are most registered voters. In all honesty, I hope President Obama becomes our best president ever. I really don’t understand how any American could want anything else, whichever party they belong to. We’re all in this together. No, I won’t agree with everything he does. But just because I have opinions that doesn’t necessarily make me right. And just because someone else has a different opinion than I do that doesn’t necessarily make them wrong. Good ideas come from all over the place. I love that we can share our thoughts in this forum.

Zaphod :
@Edwin Moelder
Given Mr. Moelder’s litany of titles and phrases for said Jesus, here’s another. The great scholar Maimonides cited Jesus as “Yeshua the Heretic, may his bones be ground to dust.”

A physical descendant of Abraham and Orthodox Christian such as I readily recognizes that Moses ben Maimon spoke as one would expect of a 13th century A.D. Talmudist, an advocate of the 200 plus Noahide laws promoted by present day Hasidim who consider themselves priests to the Goyim.

http://moelder.freeservers.com