I hear mention of how the US Govt. does not spend enough on education (however we are spending more than ever in our history). I hear that the US govt is to blame for a failed Katrina response. \n\nPlease explain what the US Govt is obligated to do for its citizens as articulated in the US Constitution.
217942
The government has the duty to produce daisy cutters, fighter planes, M-16's and Soldiers to keep terrorists out of my way so that I can continue to practice capitalism and spread my imperialist views to the corners of the galaxy.
367366
Ever heard of self reliance? In this country we have basically a free education, student loans, pell grants and scholarships for college. They need to get off their @sses and get an education. That would help in their plight! No it is just easier to stick out your hand and wait on what is given you!\n\nGeorge didn't fail us in Iraq, the opposition in this country has failed our service men.
146948
"In America, no child should be left behind. Every child should be educated to his or her full potential. This proposal sets forth the Presidents proposed framework to accomplish that goal. This Administration will work with Congress to ensure that this happens quickly, and in a bipartisan manner"\n\nYet still- this issue remains unsolved.  I completely agree with you- why can't we Americans deal with this- as these are our future generations- we need them, educated and aware of the world around them!
235450
We shall start with the need for money. The Federal Government, having spent more than it has taken from its citizens in taxes, needs, for the sake of illustration, $1,000,000,000. Since it does not have the money, and Congress has given away its authority to "create" it, the Government must go the "creators" for the $1 billion. But, the Federal Reserve, a private corporation, doesn't just give its money away! The Bankers are willing to deliver $1,000,000,000 in money or credit to the Federal Government in exchange for the Government's agreement to pay it back - with interest! So Congress authorizes the Treasury Department to print $1,000,000,000 in U.S. Bonds, which are then delivered to the Federal Reserve Bankers.\n\nThe Federal Reserve then pays the cost of printing the $1,000,000,000 (about $1,000) and makes the exchange. The Government then uses the money to pay its obligations. What are the results of this fantastic transaction? Well, $1 billion in Government bills are paid all right, but the Government has now indebted the people to the Bankers for $1 billion on which the people must pay interest! Tens of thousands of such transactions have taken place since 1913 so that by the 1980's, the U.S. Government is indebted. to the Bankers for over $1,000,000,000,000 (trillion) on which the people pay over $100 billion a year in interest alone with no hope of ever paying off the principal. Supposedly our children and following generations will pay forever and forever!
634579
Yes, This Gov't is too ready to jump for conflict yet when it comes to disaster they leave victims hanging. Look what happened w/Katrina If Gov't had been paying att. to what was happening maybe FEMA wouldn't have been ripped off $1million by people and $ wouldn't have been wasted on those damned trailors that are justsitting in Arkansas. FCKN IDIOTS!!!!
42015
The Democrats were certainly capable of establishing the safety net that the storm victims were expecting long before Mr. Bush took office, but they did NOT.  To account for all reasonable disasters that could strike the US, to the standard of reclamation that you seem to be expecting would, in my estimation, consume the entire US budget for 10 years, and would take billions annually to maintain.  (That's no road work, no medical plans, no school program support, no Social Security, no military, Nothing for 10 years.) President Bush did not dismantle any disaster programs or plans. He did not sell off supplies, trailers, food, clothing, instant homes, instant levies, yet you are holding him soley accoutable for what the State's are equally responsible for?  That is just so very irresponsible... and so very much represents the extremist closed minded left.\nTo say that anyone could have actually stopped Katrina from hitting has simply been watching too many Science FICTION movies.\n\nAh.. Name calling, that always solves things! we skate so closely to abuse. Okay, simple.... here we go...\n\nThe civil engineering effort to prevent a city that is largely below sea level from ever being submerged was within the grasp of the leadership of the State, but apparently was not pursued with much earnest as other projects were deemed (locally) as having more importance.  \n\n"In Katrina's wake, Louisiana politicians and other critics have complained about paltry funding for the Army Corps in general and Louisiana projects in particular. But over the five years of President Bush's administration, Louisiana has received far more money for Corps civil works projects than any other state, about $1.9 billion; California was a distant second with less than $1.4 billion, even though its population is more than seven times as large.\n\nMuch of that Louisiana money was spent to try to keep low-lying New Orleans dry. But hundreds of millions of dollars have gone to unrelated water projects demanded by the state's congressional delegation and approved by the Corps, often after economic analyses that turned out to be inaccurate. Despite a series of independent investigations criticizing Army Corps construction projects as wasteful pork-barrel spending, Louisiana's representatives have kept bringing home the bacon.\n\nFor example, after a $194 million deepening project for the Port of Iberia flunked a Corps cost-benefit analysis, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) tucked language into an emergency Iraq spending bill ordering the agency to redo its calculations. The Corps also spends tens of millions of dollars a year dredging little-used waterways such as the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, the Atchafalaya River and the Red River -- now known as the J. Bennett Johnston Waterway, in honor of the project's congressional godfather -- for barge traffic that is less than forecast...."\n\nThen there's New York City (see second link). When the next big storm sweeps northward and hits that city, what happened in New Orleans will look like a summer rain.  Is anyone looking to storm proof that city?  What will its residents yell afterwards?  Should we spend 100 Trillion dollars storm-proofing NYC?  What about San Francisco?   The basic lesson is, that we cannot control the weather, or geology.  People elect to live where they may. When they live in risky places, there should not be any surprises when disasters strike. (read Geohazards: Natural and Human\n by Dr. Nicholas Coch)
126671
The government can't even respond to things when it has 3 days advance notice. Bush was advised that Katrina was going to hit the Gulf coast and what did he do? Go on vacation. The National Guard, usually the first responders to disasters like Katrina, has been decimated by deployments to Iraq. We are not prepared for another terrorist attack, aside from more of us having duct tape and plastic sheeting in our homes.\n\nIn response to your second question: Does anyone know what color we are today? Are we at orange or yellow?
36780
It's a waste of our tax dollars. New Orleans is 60-65 feet below sea level. And is basically an island in a sense (picture a bowl in a bath tub full of water). Not to mention this is not the first time they had this storm. I feel no pitty for most of them down there. Nor do I support the fact my tax dollars are being wasted in New Orleans.\nI really think New Orleans and the the state it resides in. Should pay back money from tax payers over a period of time. Why you may ask? Because Stupidity is not an excuse.
225798
People need to elect leaders that actually want to do a job, not just pose for photo opportunities.  Katrina would have been bad, but resources could have and SHOULD have been placed so that they could have been brought in immediately after the hurricane passed.  Lives and billions of dollars in property could have been saved.  Also, people need to get a realistic appreciation of money--it is good for what its spent on.  Saving money by not reinforcing levees at New Orleans, or at Sacramento, Ca., is equivalent to a homeowner saving money by not putting on a roof.  OK, you saved a billion dollars by not fixing the N.O. levees, and now you get to pay 200 times that much to repair the damage.  It is not that hard to figure out. Voters are propagandized by the republican media but they better figure things out fast.
558805
It is greed, the repuglicans are all greedy to the very last one. This country as rich as it is with all the very rich people should have a very red face for not taking care of our own. Excuses like paying somebody to set on their fat ass's and not work is a cop out. Find a way to put these people to work and with a wage and health care good enough to take care of their family's. Do not just condemn them. Health care should be for everybody. The insurance company's need to be taking out of the mix as they are the problem. They are making a huge amounts of money off of the misery of humans. No one should be hungry in this the nation of plenty. An education is a way to life everybody up. It should be a right. It would be good for America as a whole. That is why I vote Democrat as I feel most of them do feel as I do.
32971
still no answers? not an advert, just trying to share info.\ngovernment explained simply,\nhttp://weekendinterviewshow.com/InterviewDisplay.aspx?i=98\nmoney,\nhttp://www.philipdru.com/griffin_stream.html\neducation,\nhttp://www.philipdru.com/taylor_stream.html\nhttp://www.philipdru.com/gatto_stream.html\nww1 wilson,\nhttp://weekendinterviewshow.com/InterviewDisplay.aspx?i=88\n\nhttp://www.philipdru.com\nhttp://weekendinterviewshow.com\nhttp://thestressblog.com\nhttp://www.antiwar.com\nhttp://www.kaos959.com
532572
It started with the Terry Schiavo thing. That wasn't even about right to life. It was about a couple of controlling parents making a federal case out of a family issue. That's when Bush blew his "political capital". After turning a surplus into a huge deficit and losing thousands of lives in an illegal, dishonest, and mismanaged war, Bush has a lot to answer for. He destroyed the ability of the Federal government to respond to Katrina. That's going to take a lot of rebuilding.
347501
I agree! It seems as though things in our government have gotten out of hand. I don't know if it would take a good president or the united states keeping our noses to ourselves. Its like we are trying to fix the world and we can't even fix ourselves. I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thinks our America is in need of dire help. Good job for speaking out.
419202
Consequences!! When are we really going to start teaching that to our kids again. Do our prisons have to run over. Does the rest of the world have to support us because of lack of education has left us without qualified people for today's technology? Does our federal budget have to increase to unpayable because of entitlement mentallity? You have found the answer to so many problems in America today.  There are many things we will all pay for because of consequences.
479761
Because the government funds enough private citizens (welfare) without needing to spend more.  There is no money to spend anymore...it doesn't grow on some tree behind The White House last time I checked, so as taxpayers, do I want to pay?  Heck no!!!!
353304
no jackass. the gov't has not failed us.  What is your job?? most likely something that is unimportant to people living in the US.  maybe you should stop complaining about the gov't and get your ass over in Iraq and do something for america. dumbass
35773
By "us gov" I assume you mean the current administration.  Or do you mean to include congress?  In either case, the answer is generally, no.  I'm terribly disappointed.  Or rather, not really disappointed, because I did not expect much from GWB.  But the structure of our government is still pretty good, and our Constitution is just fine, thank you.  Don't you wish the current crop of idiots paid attention to it once in awhile?\n\nThe problem I see in this country is that the vast majority of voters figure their choices are limited to the two largest parties.  Problem is, they have been trading off power trips and making back-room deals between them for so long, that does not give us much in the way of a choice.\n\nBut we have a strong and promising third party coming up fast: the Libertarian Party.  We libertarians believe that a government should be small enough to fit inside the Constitution.  We would disassemble the beaurocracy, stop butting into other countries' business, and trust the individual adult citizen to make his or her own choices about private matters.  We believe market forces would solve many of the problems that protectionism and favoritism only make worse.  And we believe that taxes should be eliminated if possible, or at least reduced to no more than it would take to run those operations that cannot be accomplished any other way.  \n\nIf the state can do it, then the feds should let them.  If the county can do it, the state should let them.  If the individual can do it, then let him alone.  If the individual cannot do it, let voluntary organizations and other structures at the local level help.  Because the larger the unit set with the task of solving a given problem, the less efficient it will inevitably be.  Perhaps the coordination necessary for defense operations would require a federal structure, but I personally cannot think of anything else that needs to be done on such a scale.  Can you?