A fella asked his pal, "What's worse in this country, ignorance or apathy? His buddy snapped, "I don't know and I don't care!"

Actually, I agree with Cobalt Blue...if you didn't really care, I doubt you would have asked. But, I really appreciate your asking and starting this thread. It speaks to what, I think, many of us find so very frustrating about the process nowadays. 

"Daily horse race"? Daily...really...is it necessary daily (if not hourly)? The sheer volume of "conversation" and "opinion" is so overwhelming as to constitute white noise and dulls the senses. 

I think, IMHO, that more of the electorate would really connect and tune-in if the news about candidates and positions were a little less-loud and a whole lot less-often. Makes me wonder if the overabundance is a calculated media attempt to turn off the voters prior to the primaries. Just sayin'!

Lucy Pevensie mentioned voter I.D.  Boy...I'm sure glad we in Ohio require a driver's license or other picture I.D when at the polls. I mean, everybody knows how hard it is to get a driver's license here!

I like the concept of one having to show one's "papers" to vote, but it only works if it really means what we THINK it means. And, every time the idea is brought up, the Dems go nuts claiming that we're just trying to discourage/disenfranchise/deny voting rights to those poor, poor folks who just can't get to the BMV for the photo I.D. or license.

Bash Bush...unless it provides a foundation point for re-election!

How can they claim that stiffing so many investors was a "hard choice"? All of a sudden they didn't have to worry about the ugly shadow of bankruptcy, and paying their debts! How can NObama claim a victory for the auto companies at the expense of so many investments by private AND PUBLIC retirement entities?

I was never crazy about Toyota, but they look pretty good right now!

I grew up in Michigan and remember a Civil War era cannon in the "commons" in our village park. With the placard on one side calling for remembrance for the tremendous losses by both sides, and on the other side, the listing of the names of the locals who served. Fortunately, it was located in such a place that it would have required an errant light aircraft to take it out.

It has always seemed to me that, considering the state of the current politics, it is quite remarkable that the south has so many Democrats. I would expect more Libertarians, perhaps.

Q: Would the NLRB have made the same stink if the Boeing plant were to be built in, say, Ohio or New York or Mass.? [I never could spell that state! ]

I am a born-again Christian and can testify to the major theological differences between the Mormons and Christianity. However, I'm not looking to elect our next "Pastor-In-Chief"! I think that the less we derail from the actual situation/problems/solutions, the better!

It would be nice, though, to elect someone who was a real fighter...for this country, for our [former] moral values, for fiscal conservative values, etc., etc. And someone who wasn't constantly apologizing for some supposed American misdeed! [Oh, and the bowing thing...ummm...NO! ]

Mitt would be fine with me if he had a smidge more of Christie in him!

I have a "motivational" poster which shows the tail end of a ship sticking out of the water, sunk in the shallows. It says: MISTAKES, It may be that the purpose of your life is to serve as a warning to others! (it comes from Despair.com)

For some reason, I think of Mitt every time I look at that thing. Perhaps an admission of the failure, with an open explanation of what went wrong,and through whom,  would resurrect  his public stature, but, then maybe not!

I meant to mention, too, that Ohio (as do the other states) has an EPA, Education Dept., Natural Resources Dept., DOT, etc., etc!  "Bureau creep"!

I'm curious about the DOT, also. The most problematic thing in many of these departments is the gross duplication of efforts. Why isn't it enough to simply have a means of setting standards (perhaps on a federal level) and letting the state agencies deliver the implementation of said standards. Do away with unfunded mandates and the money-laundering schemes in DC! 

I'm reminded of a cartoon I saw long ago: simply doors in a hallway, one reading "Federal Department of Redundancy Department", another "Federal Department of Looking Busy", and the last, "Bureau of Money Changing Hands"!

I'll be looking for the movie, but, as in Hillsdale, here in central Ohio the theaters go for the safe and profitable rather than the provocative. 

As far as the press is concerned...locally our reviewer is consistent enough that those movies he detests seem, to me at least, to be the best views!

As to the attitude of the press toward Christianity...it isn't that the Bible is "unbelievable", rather it is that those "outside" don't want to believe. Perhaps because of the introspection it brings! For them no proof or miracle is ever enough! For the believer, none is really needed!

1) I don't doubt the story! I'm not looking for a conspiracy under every rock, but...

2) Dave, the photos on Google were posted (re-posted) on several blogs, and in following some of them there seems to be some doubt about the validity of the pics...may have been "photoshopped".

3) I'm glad he's gone and don't doubt the event story, but I'm waiting for the final "official" version and any "official" photos first.

4) I'm also looking forward to the conspiracy theories that will show up...should be high drama and/or comedy for some time to come!

ctruppi...I agree with your comments and, actually, got a kick out of them!

If there is any way for the left to vilify the tactics used and the previous administration in the aftermath, rest assured they will!

Hey politics is politics..."Damn the truth and full speed ahead!"

As I watched the replay of the CiC's comments, I was struck by the self aggrandizement. (I thought I heard his shoulder crack as he patted himself on the back). No credit toward any of the numerous folks in the previous administration who worked so damned hard to see this day come about. No graceful/grateful nod toward Bush, who pushed so hard for this and took so much flack for the "torture" tactics which now we hear, did, actually, have an effect on the information gathering to lead to this day. How crass! 

The bible says (in effect) that when you seek public praise for your efforts, the praise you receive will be all you get. (Jesus was talking about the Pharisees praying in the public square to be seen of their followers...better to be seen by God in private and rewarded by God openly!) 

Well, the Times has given BHO his praise! I hope it suits him!

Hear, here!  The only question I have for you, Dr. Rahe, is why I have not heard you on the Ricochet podcasts? Perhaps I've missed those episodes, and if that is the case I'll be scouring itunes very soon. 

I haven't heard a more concise explanation/argument...period!

Peter, James, Rob...have you read this?

I also wanted to say that, the issue soon took on a life of its own, as many "conspiracy theories" tend to do, and got waaaay out of hand. Early on it was a simple question spurred by allegations in circulation on the internet (mostly), but, again, when he and his out-right refused to lay it to rest, it took off like wild fire.

I know that so much more was made if it than the original question, that other "issues" soon became attached. ("hidden" school transcripts, where he got his funding, etc.)

People who didn't like him or vote for him were hoping against hope that there would be some way to force him out. But the same can be applied to the other side concerning allegations levied against Bush regarding his Nat. Guard service, for Pete's sake.

I wonder, if the issue had been laid to rest quickly, would the other "questions" have disappeared before they really took hold?

I have been a "birther" to the extent that when the questions began to arise (start with Snopes) I, too, wanted the answers. I wanted to be confident that the POTUS was legally qualified to be POTUS! When the President and his staff began to refuse to release the information about his birth, I became more interested in the refusal and the reasoning behind it. It's a simple thing...he showed THAT in his press conference recently...so why did it take so long? I suspect that after it really became an issue, with so many buying in, he and his staff have allowed the pot to boil till they thought they could make some political hay with it.

Heretofore, the issue of the residency status of POTUS has not really reared its head. I don't recall any previous incident like this, but Obama, pointedly, would not answer the issue and that built the suspecion.

I think that in the future, with more potential first generation children of immigrants as candidates, an effort needs to be made to vet the candidates. We have to "prove" ourselves in so many other situations, this can't be considered an inconvenience! 

I have the sad, heavy feeling that the D.C. capitol building could replace this pic if the world, and Obama and congress (in large part) could replace Lenin, with the balance of the sentiment remaining the same.

The class "warfare" and vilification of particular segments, is going to sink us. Unless we can begin to look for the facts behind the rhetoric, drop the PC crap and begin to have honest dialog. 

I think it was Daniel Patrick Moynahan who said, "Everyone can have an opinion, but everyone can't have their own facts."