One of the most telling, and depressing parts for me, was near the end when they were discussing the current confirmation process.  Sad that it has come to this.

"...all this stuff really begins with the Warren court.  Or, at least, that's when this "living constitution" philosophy sort of takes over. And, I think it took the American people awhile to figure out what was going on - maybe 30 years.  But once they have figured out that the Supreme Court is essentially rewriting the Constitution, term by term, the old criteria for appointing and confirming judges no longer apply. ....... The most important thing is "What kind of a new Constitution will this person write?"  Will he put in the things that I like and take out the things I don't like."

If he went to MSNBC at least nobody would have to listen to him any more .  Is it too much to hope, he'll become a cameraman for "Dish Earth?"

I'd love to see a response similar to the following.  A 22 year old, disillusioned female voter that voted for Obama in 2008

"In 2008, for my first time, I chose Obama. He seemed nice. He promised the world. He swore he wasn't like all the others. I trusted him. The first time was supposed to be special, I'd looked forward to it most of my life.  
Guess what? Apparently, over 50% of young females voters picked him too.  Then he abandoned us.  The promises meant nothing. His word was meaningless. He was worse than the others, a charlatan. He thinks we can't get by without him telling us what to do, what choices to make, and that we're too weak, incapable, and dependent to even take responsibility for contraception. It isn't a man we need to run our lives anymore, but the government...according to him. Now, he needs us and wants us back.
We are older, wiser, no longer gullible like four years ago.  We've grown up, thanks to him.   We deserve better. We  won't be fooled again."

Sorry Joe, that is NOT what I call a BFD

In past interviews, you've said that your conversion from believing in the teachings of Marx to your current philosophy was triggered by looking at a pesky little thing called "evidence."  As I look at the current economic debate, the evidence is so clearly on our side.  How do we get people to consider that evidence?  Are people so divided that it isn't possible or does the evidence just need to be packaged and displayed better?

Absolutely.  I went to college during the Reagan administration and was informed by almost every professor that he and the Republicans were evil warmongers that were going to lead the world to destruction.  Heck, I even read Bloom County and had a stuffed Opus (he played lead tuba for the heavy metal band Deathtounge, before they sold out, went mainstream, and became Billy and the Boingers).  Then I looked around and remembered what it was like in the late 70's under Carter, realized how much happier and prosperous the nation and I were and never looked back.

BTW, I still think Bloom County is funny.  But half of the fun is to realize just how incorrect it was.

Hopefully, the good news is that Ryan is right.  If not, I fear the country is in for big trouble.  The contrast is so clear and can be framed so easily, IMO.  The only promises of Obama that have worked are the ones that he didn't keep.  The ones he has followed through on have been a disaster.  Last election was about hope and change and we elected a vapor, a ghost that had no record, only rhetoric, and what we ended up with is an articulate dolt.  He and his party haven't submitted a budget, he left writing PPACA to Democrats in Congress, and I, for the life of me can't figure out what is foreign policy goals are.  He got through the Senate by voting "present" and now he is trying it with the Presidency.  We have a presidential candidate that has been there and done that as a governor and a VP candidate that has fought  for a budget and direction he believes in vehemently.  If we can't frame the distinction and win, I will truly be scared for the country.   Monday morning rant complete.

That wasn't my intent.  My first post making me look like a sniveling, brown nosing, suck-up....... I usually try and hide that for a little while ;)

One of the best shows I have ever watched was an episode of NOVA called "What Darwin Never Knew"  Even though it is know a couple years old it does a great job of explaining evolution and how much DNA research is teaching us. 

I'm not a very religious person but I've never understood why so many feel that science/religion must be at odds.  If you believe in God as a creator, science just helps us understand His methods. 

Bloom County.  Graduating high school in 1982 and then going to college during the Reagan years, the political narrative on college campuses was that "Reagan is a doltish, evil warmonger that wants to starve the poor and keep the government from protecting us so corporations are free to kill us all.  Conservatives are evil."  Bloom County reinforced the narrative via humor. I bought it at the time.  I was a liberal...fortunately I outgrew it. I  realized that the economy was booming, we weren't at war, people weren't starving and we had recovered from the malaise of the 70's that had weakened us enough to succumb to disco. 

I pledge to turn off any movie/show that stars anyone I recognize from this video.

Not talking about writing a new one, just amending the current one.   But that is built into the question "Could such a convention stay focused enough?"

Penalty vs tax upheld.

Rest struck down 5-4, due to impracticable severability.  The logic will be that without the mandate, if you leave guaranteed issue in place people will only get insurance once they are sick.  That would pretty much either destroy the insurance industry or make it so expensive no one could afford insurance.   That combination also makes reliable community rating and the MLR provisions impossible.  So rather than 9 justices trying to figure out what could be workable and leaving a mess, they'll kick the remainder back to Congress.  While legally parts might be severed, logically it cannot. 

They'll just say it in a lot of legalese. 

I've never been more anxious to see a decision.

This is the most excited I've been about Romney since the process started.  Maybe the Democrats are tired of Obama, too?

Ironically, I read this at work.  Doh!!

It's a terrible bet...unless you win