Me too. I think, though (and this is not an excuse, it's an observation), that in the climate we've had for the past 8 years (more than 8 actually), with all the corruption everywhere, it would be more surprising to me to find anyone in politics who HADN'T cheated on their taxes (or who doesn't owe money).

And just because you have back taxes doesn't necessarily mean you cheated. It just means you didn't pay them. Is that wrong? YES, especially when you work in politics. I'm sick to death of all the greed and corruption in our society. But owing back taxes, there could be a reasonable explanation for that. I'm just saying...

I'm not interested in excuses anymore - These people need to be held to a HIGHER standard than the rest of us.

The IRS should investigate every single one of them. Starting at the top and going through the Senate and then the House, until every elected official has been done. Then they can work on the lobbyists and so on. The IRS needn't bother with the average American. I'm certain they will have more than enough to keep them busy with these guys till the next crop comes in in 2010 and 2012.

I think they should start with the lobbyists, and then go through the government.

How many of them are there? nah - Lets get the ones up for reelection first - start with them.

We will never change the balance of power until we introduce a viable third party that can gain seats from the majority party and take away their overall majority in both houses.

2 of the 3 will go in cahoots and there will be no equality.

Yes but that would force compromise agreements to be formed among uncommon thinkers. That might be refreshing.

There are probably hundreds of them for each person in Congress. Let's start with them. hell, just do them at the same time.

HEAR, HEAR!

Not gonna happen, for a variety of reasons, the first of which is the fact that the people that fund the two major parties will crush a third party like a bug.

Why pay for three, when you only have to pay for two?

Also, any 3rd party that actually gained any power would be corrupted instantly, because the problem isn't with the parties, it's with the people.

It's with the way elections are run. I said this somewhere else, but we really to change that. No more lobbying, no more donations. Elections should be paid for from a public fund. They should last only about 4 months, so politicians actaully WORK instead of campaigning for the next election the moment they're in office. TV networks should give equal access to all politicians (commerical time), because the airwaves are owned by the people and should be for the benefit OF the people. No more smear commercials paid for by third parties or PACs. There should be weekly debates between ALL candidates for the 4 months prior to the election.

It's ridiculous how much campaigns cost nowadays, and it's ridiculous how campaigns and elections seem to be ongoing now. For crying out loud, they are already talking about (and asking people) who will be the next presidential nominations. Are you kidding me? We JUST had an election. The next one is almost 4 years away. WTF!?

Don't ask me, I'm just a troll, right?

rite

Well, sometimes you do engage in troll-like behavior. Do you not know that?

But Senators and Congreemen don't do their own taxes. Another perk. The government does their taxes for them. Tax laws are too complex for Senators and Congressmen to comprehend. Irony and reality.

Pure speculation on your part. You have little to back that up. It can be done if the people will it.

Possibly. I am a very avid student of monkey-ass pack behavior, though.

Also, history is on my side:

Okay. So will it.

See what I mean?

I blame society.

And the drugs.

and the boogie?

I blame first Bush. Beause everybody blames him for everything.

Second Al Gore. If he never would have invented the internet or global warming we would never have gotten into this mess.

I blame you. yes, you. It's all your fucking fault.

I thought it was Obamas fault?

Ok. But it's not. It is the fault of Bush.

Oh, and Al.

And the Illuminati. Serious.

I think the little green men did it.

Or was it the mice?

ALWAYS!
\
http://www.principiadiscordia.com/fo...hammertime.gif

Cute, it fits you.

I have to have that done once in a while. It clears my sinuses.

That would clear my adnenoids!

Them too. It's very theraputic.

I'm told it also adjusts your chakras, whatever the hell they are.

Energy centers in the body.

Got some drugs?

Them I got. Sleepers, wakers, the whole 9 yards. Like Elvis. But if I have to die on the crapper, please God let it happen while I'm "upper decking" the local American Legion post's bathroom. Amen.

Gupta Withdraws

Not because of taxes, but an apparently good candidate chose not to serve.

Hmmm...wonder if it was a money issue. He's probably making some nice cheddar on TV...he wouldn't make shit in politics (relatively speaking).

Jesus. Obama's the only person in America hiring, and nobody wants anything to do with it.

:lol:

Depends on what I have to do...I just had to fill out a 20-page application for a fucking civilian job with the St. Louis County Police Department. Can a government job be much worse, especially given the track record of the people that work in it?

Wait. What? You want to be a COP in ST LOUIS?

No, no job can be much worse.

Civilian job...and it's St. Louis County, which is separate from St. Louis City. Not that I have any problems with the City, since I live in it.

Mark your highway exits, please. :mad2:

Huh? Which highway were you on here that didn't have markers? Shit, we're not California (though I hear they're working on things out there). ;)

55W --> 44W, middle of the night, during construction (this was about 4 years ago). No detour signs. No alternate route. Nada.

they must have known it was tigger

Especially since 55 West doesn't even exist. ;)

ummm, California has very well marked roads. I lived there for ten years, and have travelled across country 4 times, and from Miami to Toronto. California has the best marked freeways I have ever seen.

55 whichever, out of Chicago. Fer Chrissakes.

I was referring to the lack of exit numbers, which road geeks used to bemoan on Usenet all the time. Threw me off too when I was out there a few years ago. Last I heard, CalTrans is now working on that.

I knew what you meant...I was fucking with you. :)

Take it to the travel channel

ahhh, ok. Well, they mark roads 3-4 exits in advance, so you have plenty of time to get over. Most freeways don't do that, and I think it's dangerous not to, especially for freeways in/near big cities that have a lot of lanes.

topic nazi. :p

Another one rides the bus...

Freeman Withdraws as Top Intelligence Analyst

These dems...no balls AT ALL these days. :lol:

Obama's pick for EPA No. 2 withdraws

What the heck is going on? I don't remember this many appointees resigning or being refused in, well forever.

This is what happens when you actually apply standards in Washington. Obama has managed to fill about 43 out of 350 or so positions.

On the other hand, his pics haven't been exactly stellar. I mean, TOM DASCHLE? Fer Chrissakes.

Yep...its been sloppier than recent administrations..but not so much out of the norm.

Just off the top of my head...

I recall Bush first treasury secretary having tax issues, his first Labor secretary withdrawing because of an illegal immigrant issue, his first homeland security secretary withdrawing because of an illegal immigrant issue and alleged mob ties.

And Bush sub-cabinet nominees withdrawing their names...the top EPA enforcement official because of ties to industries to be enforced, the top mining official at the Dept of Interior for numerous mining violations by his company, top officials at HUD, Energy and Agriculture with questionable past practices in their former industry lives.....

No one wants the job anymore, what with the public scrutiny. Of course, we can hope this brings us more people who DON'T have anything to hide, but these transgressions are nothing new. These issues have always existed: previous administrations were just better at keeping them hidden.

It's getting easier to mine information about people's lives.

Good point.

And also, I don't think they used to really go after people for each and every detail. Politics is now teams of lawyers, teams of investigators, and teams of digicam shooters waiting for a candidate's macaca moment. It's fucked up.

I think this is the first time nominees have gotten full IRS audits.