Who am I ?

[Karl Rigdon]

Who Am I?

I am under 45 years old,
I love the outdoors,
I hunt,
I am a Republican reformer,
I have taken on the Republican Party establishment,
I have many children,
I have a spot on the national ticket as vice president with less than two years in the governor's office.

Did you guess?












I am Teddy Roosevelt in 1900

[Carl Ellis]

Re: Who am I ?

I am under 45 years old,
I love the outdoors,
I hunt,
I am a Republican reformer,
I have taken on the Republican Party establishment,
I have many children,
I have a spot on the national ticket as vice president with less than two years in the governor's office.

I also:

• am embroiled in an ethics investigation for abuse of office
• charged the state per diem for time spent at home
• misstated involvement in steps taken to dispose of surplus property
• use my office to punish opponents and personal enemies
• promoted a National Guard general who changed his story regarding my day to day involvement with running the guard.
• value loyalty over competency
• use personal email for government business to avoid oversight
• have a high degree of secrecy and cannot handle criticism
• have never actually been to Iraq or Ireland despite my claims
• left my post as city mayor with a $20 million deficit
• left my one civic project mired in legal battles
• during tenure as mayor charged rape victims for medical exams
• have a son who is a vandal and drug user
• have a pregnant teenage daughter
• make dubious claims about being a Russia expert because Russia (Big Diomede) can be viewed from Little Diomede Island where I have never been.
• make dubious claims about being an energy expert because I brokered a deal to build a pipeline which may never be built and may in fact cost the state $500 million anyway. I also assert that Alaska produces 20% of oil that the US consumes - but we all know it's really 3.5%
• was for the bridge to nowhere before I was against it and didn't actually kill the project, it was dead anyway.
• I actually love earmarks but am afraid to defend them
• cannot articulate my party leader's rationale (doctrine) for the Iraq war
• I belong to a church with a apocalyptic world view
• claim that the press is mean to me so I tightly control who I talk to. How dare they ask me hard and probing questions.
  
  

I think you can guess who I am and I'm certainly no Teddy Roosevelt. Actually I think Teddy would be embarrassed.

[crispy critter]

Re: Who am I ?

Not trying o take up for the wrong doinging of others,none of our canidates are perfect and they have all done things that we do not agree with and will do more of them once in office no matter who we vote for. I am a registered democrate which doesn't mean squwat but let me ask everyone here one simple questeion........
Who better deserves the job...someone who has never had any type of leadership postion,never made a single governmental or politcal decision without first seeing what everyone else said,someone who has never spent a single day in the military.......or would we rather have someone who has actually gave thier life for this country.I don't mean they gave thier life career,or dedicated thier life to assist in the governing of the counrty(which they have done all those things too),I mean someone who has actually laid thier life down and offered it to our enemies,thier pain,blood,tears,and fears. That is someone who really believes in the country we live in.
We hear all this dirt,inexperience,and criticizim on Obama and Palin(yes,I know they are on different sides)......name one thing that has been said about McCain that makes him a bad choice other then the fact he is republican. Remember that the repulic was the founders of our great country and it is still in our nations pledge today. If you think by voting democrate you will see our gas go back down then you are sadly mistaken. If anything they will continue to rise because the Obama doesn't want to tap into our own oil,he wants alternitive sources which is great,but everyone has been working on that one for decades and they will continue to search for alternitive sources but until then we have to live with what we got and the only way to ease the rising cost of oil is to start getting it elsewhere or take it from where we are getting it now(which would be very wrong). Now let's look at our military,we can't afford to downsize. There is too much threat from the midlde east and other small nations as well. If we cut the size of our military now then we really leave our way of life in extreme danger to attack from pissed off countries. If anything we need to strengthen our defenses to make them larger and stronger.
Nobody if perfect and we will always dig up dirt on whoever is in the publics view, but some of Obama's thinking just ain't making a lot of commen sense IMHO. This tells me that he wants to tell people what sounds good but look at the tradgity that could happen if he really does some of those things....and it still won't reduce the price of gas!

[Carl Ellis]

Re: Who am I ?

OK - since you asked.

Why McCain is unqualified/undeserving of the presidency - a laundry list.

• claims to be a reformer but his campaign is run by former lobbyists. He's actually the ultimate insider.
• he graduated in the bottom 1% of his academy class. He's not stupid, he just didn't want to do the hard work and follow the rules. Not good traits for someone in a position of responsibility.
• his princiapl financial advisor is Phil Gramm - a leading architect of deregulation in financial markets. We're all seeing what a good idea that was. At last count, we're at around a half a *trillion* dollars in bail out money, just in the last months!
• has repeatedly stated that he doesn't understand economics. Do you really want Phil Gramm and other lobbyists advising someone who doesn't get it?
• he chose Sarah Palin who brings little to the table other than red meat for the base, a blank slate, and a lot of baggage. Elections are not just about winning; they are also about governing afterwards. Something that has been ignored in the last two election cycles.
• he's impulsive and explosively bad tempered - having a tendency to abrasiveness does not make you a maverick or a reformer.
• he's 72 with a long history of controlled but malignant cancer.
• he voted with bush +90% of the time yet the republican party and his campaign has done everything to distance themselves from bush/cheney during this election cycle. Why is that?
• he's never really gone to the mat his party when it counts - a maverick not so such.
• military service is not a prerequisite for national office. If it were, the democrats would be totally running the show since a larger percentage democrats vs republicans who have served are actually in the congress/senate or have children in the military. Look it up.
• McCain and his surrogates repeatedly use his POW status to deflect criticism or explain away poor decisions, personal failings, and inadequacies. To me that insults other POWs and diminishes their experience. It also shows an inability to take personal responsibility.
• his world view seems to be stuck in the 60's and 70's.
• his inclination seems to be fight first, think second. Sound familiar?
• he showed extremely poor judgment by pressuring regulators for Charles Keating during the S&L crisis. And yes, the dems involved were also butt heads.
• he's out of touch with the middle class.
• he'd be a foot note in history if his father and grandfather weren't admirals. Sound familiar?
• dumped his first wife because of her looks and took up with his second while still married. Yes, character counts. He explains this as a youthful indiscretion - he was 40!
• successful presidents are cut from two molds, visionaries (Reagan/FDR) or competent technicians (LBJ/Eisenhower). McCain is neither, he's a survivor not a doer.
• has repeatedly voted against the interests of veterans
• he was against torture before he was for it
• I could go on but I'm getting tired.

BTW - you seem to have bought into the standard republican meme that democrats are weak on defense and republicans are strong. A clear eyed evaluation proves otherwise. No one in the present campaign is advocating downsizing our armed forces. A wiser redirection of forces, yes, downsizing, no.

[paulnuss]

Re: Who am I ?

Obviously there are hard-core Democrats, and even opponents of Sarah Palin here (or at least one). And maybe politics shouldn't rear their ugly head here. But Obama represents more government, more taxes, more rules, more handouts, and seems to be some sort of international elitist, who thinks the third world and Europe are somehow better than the United States of America, and would gladly lead us down the United Nations path. His repeated stands and actions against the Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms is an indicator of his ultimate unsuitability for high office. He would like to disarm us all, a la the United Nations dictates, and then he can be the Supreme Dictator, like the rest of the crack-pots he holds in such high esteem.

[crispy critter]

Re: Who am I ?

Thank you paul..... Carl,you have managed to point out a bunch of things wrong with McCain and in my previous statement I said they all have done things we do not approve of and will do more. Now,would you please tell me in best interest of this country what makes Obama the better choice and what experience does he have to back it up?
I know McCain is NOT the best type of person if your looking for a best friend. He has done some moral wrong-doings in the past and might do more in the future(???). He is certainly loud mouthed and up-spoken,he doesn't always follow the rules. Some would say mavrick,some say PRICK, maybe even a little bit redneck. I don't care if he is a demo-crap or re-poop-lican. I just think we need a hot headed,straight talkin,do what he feels is right(which is usually the same as what he says) type of person in the white house. McCain has rarely been the type to say one thing and do another and he certainly doesn't let anyone else tell him what to feel,think,or say. This is no time for a speach reading pussy puppet in the white house.....This is all "In My Humble Opinion".

Paul said this might not be the best place to talk politics and he might be right but as long as nobody gets upset and it remains a friendly topic I don't see the harm in it. Carl, this is not a politcal attack against you by any means. You have every right to choose whoever you wish is best as do we all. I just look at it as a friendly debate. I don't vote one sided(ie. Demo or repub),I don't vote for popularity,I don't always vote for who I like the best as a person,I don't vote for morals or character, I DO HOWEVER VOTE for the guy who I think will best protect my freedom and the freedom of my kids.

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Who am I ?

Carl,

In the interest in fairness you need to also show the same kind of lists for Obama and Bidden. I'm afraid that they are much longer and far worse.....

[Carl Ellis]

Re: Who am I ?

Dear Paul -

But Obama represents more government:

The two largest expansions of the federal government occured under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush. The largest contraction occured under Bill Clinton.

more taxes:

Obama's tax plan reverts to the Clinton era tax rate. What that means is only those with incomes over $250,000 would see a tax increase". Those under $250K would see a decrease.

more rules:

What rules? You mean like discouraging media consolidation, regulating financial institutions, and SEC rule enforcement? All of which would benefit you as citizen, consumer, and investor.

more handouts:

Hmmm - handouts to whom? I've seen a lot of handouts in the last several weeks.

and seems to be some sort of international elitist, who thinks the third world and Europe are somehow better than the United States of America, and would gladly lead us down the United Nations path:

That is non-sense. Bush's unilateralist world view hasn't exactly worked out for us. Besides, who used the United Nations as an excuse for Iraq involvement? If you want people to help you, you can't say it's my way or the highway. Otherwise we end up holding the bag - like today. Please look up the definition of elitist - it's a good thing.

His repeated stands and actions against the Second Amendment rights to keep and bear arms is an indicator of his ultimate unsuitability for high office.

By the measure of "stands and actions" against the bill of rights - Bush, Cheney, McCain are all unsuited. Also, many things that are rights are also regulated or constrained. Despite your desire for a right to be absolute, the sad fact is your rights are what the government says they are. Free speech and freedom from unreasonable search and seizure spring to mind. If you care about one right, please care about them all. Oh, and I'm not afraid that any one is going take away my guns

He would like to disarm us all, a la the United Nations dictates, and then he can be the Supreme Dictator, like the rest of the crack-pots he holds in such high esteem.

There is no such UN plan. What you presumably are referring to is the UN protocol on controlling the illegal manufacture and distribution of firearms across international borders. It says nothing about legal firearms within national boundaries. Oh, and if anyone has been dictator friendly it's the players in the current administration many of whom seem to have little regard for the rule of law.

[Carl Ellis]

Re: Who am I ?

Carl,

In the interest in fairness you need to also show the same kind of lists for Obama and Bidden. I'm afraid that they are much longer and far worse.....

I'll leave that up to you.

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Who am I ?

Carl,

Your posts lack truth, are one sided and don't show a whole picture.

I have major complaints against Bush and McCain. Mostly because they don't fight against democrats and their "ideals". They are both Democrats at heart. I have a friend that is EXTREMELY liberal (and yes he is still a good friend), and he loves Bush. Says he is the best Democrat ever voted into office.

I feel the same way about McCain. I agree with his stance on Terrorism. To ignore it is to have more people die in our country. I do not agree with much else and resent the knife he has put in the back of republicans (or in my case, conservatives).

Obama is totally clueless and is extremely dangerous. Bidden is a known factor and has shown his is a complete idiot too.


So who do you vote for? A RINO republican or a know moron democrat that is hell bent on taxing the crap out of more than those that make 250K a year.(don't delude yourself!) Who want to "talk" to leaders that are total fanatics that tell you one thing and do another (a true politician that really just wants you dead).

[Richard Boyer]

Re: Who am I ?

screw this, I'm going flying.

[Carl Ellis]

Re: Who am I ?

Crispy -

The only reason I stepped into this was I've previously seen comments and jokes that have a decidedly "conservative" bent on this forum. We are supposedly here to talk airplanes but I just couldn't stomach an attempt to raise Palin to the level of Teddy Roosevelt.

I've seen nothing from McCain that shows he has any idea what it is to be middle class, what our concerns are, or that he has a record of meaningful support for us. He has lots of evidence to the contrary.

And frankly after eight years of hot headed, incompetent, loud mouths who've gotten us into a world of **it, I'm ready for for someone who knows how to build a competent organization, and has some evidence of thinking issues through before committing action.

'nuff said.

Over and Out.

[Carl Ellis]

Re: Who am I ?

Carl,

Your posts lack truth, are one sided and don't show a whole picture.

Yes, it's just a snapshot and one sided but I never claimed otherwise. It would be educational to see a rebuttal to the "untruths".

Regards,

- Carl -

[Jim Herpst]

Re: Who am I ?

Lets see.

Illinois Government Run TOTALLY BY DEMOCRATS

State Attorney General related to one of the Senators oh a daughter by the way. Mayor Richard Daily son of what other MAYOR ? Oh and who was called in to "consult " with the voter fraud the dems tried to pull off in Flordia the last Gore election? Why the KING of FRAUD FROM THE FRAUD CAPITAL OF THE WORLD CHICAGOS OWN MAYOR DAILY.I believe he was the guy that pulled a midnight dig (literally ) on MEIGS FIELD thus destroying one of Chicago's assets for what? Well a "parK" ...complete with Gambling boats ...


22 BILLION IN THE RED ON THE STATE PENSION FUND

CHICAGO (COOK COUNTY) SALES TAX 10% HIGHEST in the NATION
291 PEOPLE MURDERED IN CHICAGO LAST MONTH
260 Service men in Irac last month for a"little" comparison

I dont think we need your Style of Change in Washington in times like these CARL

[Marv]

Re: Who am I ?

I have been a registered Republican for 40 plus years. However with the actions and represenitives of both Republican and Democratic parties i am considering voting Libertarian or Independent. Marv