How come Republicans want to spend billions on a fence and yet won't spend to ck packages coming in our ports?
484219
Well, no... but to be honest the Republicans aren't spending the money to build a large wall to keep Mexicans out because they really believe it will do any good.\n\nThey are making a large fuss and show out of doing it because illegal immigration is a major concern for many Americans, and by taking a symbolic stand against it, however foolish, futile, or useless it may be, they hope to resonate with voters and re-capture a rapidly disintegrating base on an issue they might still be seen as not having completely and utterly screwed up.\n\nRepublicans, and indeed, politicians in general don't do more than they have to secure ports of call because in a country the size of America it's unrealistic to think you can.  There are too many ships, too many people, and far too many packages to do any more than just random inspections or investigate openly suspicious activity.\n\nCan things be smuggled into our country through our ports?  You betcha.  Can they be smuggled in through our borders?  Yup.\n\nCould we bust our butts trying to secure them?  Sure we could.  We could do a halfway decent job at the authorized checkpoints, too... but then it would dawn on a terrorist with money that there are a lot of private docks and moorages in this country, especially for the wealthy who live along the coast.  \n\nIf you have one wealthy individual with his own yacht and a moorage at his estate, all they have to do is sail it out into international waters (which isn't hard since that's ten miles out from our coast... or about an hour's leisurely cruise, and those are very common in yachts), pick up what you want to smuggle in, and sail right back to their estate.  Chances are even if the Coast Guard is on patrol, they won't be caught.  You could also do it with smaller boats dispatched from ships sailing in international waters which land at a pre-arranged stretch of coastline that no one uses, etc... etc... etc...\n\nThis, unfortunately, is a game of cat and mouse where the mouse has a definite advantage.  For everything we can think of to stop an attack, someone else can think of another way to start one.
52148
For the same reason Republicans are, they're politicians.  Both sides need to get their heads out of their behinds and think about what's best for the people of this country, not their parties.
1100557
becuase they can. It's much easier spending money when it's not yours. the only time they are concerned about our needs is when it comes time for re-election. other than that, it's a total waste of our time.
922388
Of course its a Republican war.  Republicans just don't want to be accountable to their own disastorous policies.  \n\nIt was Bush's decision to go against the UN and "go it alone".  And while Democrats supported the resolution to go into Iraq....and had to in order to support Afghanistan which was tied into the war bill by Republicans....and find the WMDs and get Suddam, they never supported this long, drawn out occupation strategy that Bush inserted after-the-fact.
719889
They don't have to cause they are sending all our tax dollars and healthcare money there. Plus all republicans are worried about is getting the clothing off the women over there so they can see some skin ! That's the women's rights they are really worried about.
491793
Republicans had to have something to take our minds off what they were fixing to do to the price of oil. As for the war, I can not understand how you can win a war that you can not fight. We hold off for fear of what might happen to women and children. Who cared about our women and children when 9/11 came to our country. Turn the military LOSE and let them get finished and come on home. At the same time you will make an example for that other brain dead idiot that keeps running his mouth!
14104
Why in the world would he want to do that? This is such a Stupid Question. Would you WASTE 4 billion if you had it hanging around? Think!
1186505
It's not true that we spend more than the rest of the world combined on our military, and we spend more on failed FDR socialism than all the rest of the federal budget combined (including defense). And the extent to which we do spend so much on the military is because of our allies. They know that we’ll be there in time of need, & they could never match our might, so they become more powerful in the world by reducing defense (which means we have to increase) & focusing on diplomacy& trade while making us look the bad cop. It’s a good policy for them & we’re strong enough to make it work for us too. So Thomas, please do be respectful even if you hate the person you speak of. \n\nAs to candidates, dems keep handing us elections by putting up liberal candidates that swing voters will never support. Biden looks okay for now, but his ideas are cowardly insane & won’t stand the spotlight of a campaign. Richardson is a better candidate because he has the Washington experience, he’s a moderate, he has executive exp as Gov, & he’s an outsider that can talk about all sides screwing it up by being at each other’s throat instead of being there for all Americans. \n\nWe republicans are in much more of a quandary. All the candidates we have now are more liberal then Bush & he’s too liberal for most of us, especially when we’re running right to reclaim the base. Rudy, McCain, Romney… Jeb can’t get it out of “Bush fatigue” Frist is too close to the Pres & too much an insider. If it is a northern liberal republican though I hope they’ll consider JC Watts for balance – it wouldn’t win us the black vote now, but inroads for the future. If we don't screw it up, it'll be fun again.
926152
The Republicans claim to be fiscal conservatives. That means you don't spend more money than you have. Unfortunately, they always INCREASE spending and DECREASE the amount of taxes to pay for it. It's just reckless.\n\nThen, when Democrats act responsibly, and raise taxes to try and get the budget back in line, the GOP bitches and moans. It's like dealing with a 4 year old who thinks you can buy a house for $10. Luckily, the grown-ups are back in charge.
1059999
Through the years, republicans have been in favor with the rich, and they stand for things which would make rich people richer at the expense of the poor.  They are in favor of building up the military, because that's how many of them get rich.  They seem indifferent to human suffering.\n\nWhen Republicans are having trouble with the polls, their first move is to pick a fight with some little country, rally the troops, and wrap themselves in the flag.  Unfortunately for the current George, he wasn't smart enough to pick a war that he could win in a few weeks, and when the infrastructure collapsed, he was left holding the bag.  \n\nRepublicans who want to pass on more than two million dollars to their children are upset because there is an estate  tax on the amount over this figure, and want to eliminate the estate tax altogether.\n\nUnder the current administration, the national debt, which had been decreasing under Clinton, has been ballooning out of control.  The whole expense of the Iraq war has been not even included in the national budget.  There has not been any revenue-raising measure to pay for this war, which means that our children will be paying the cost, along with the expenses which arise in their own time.\n\nRepublicans now seem to want to silence scientists worldwide which warn of global warming.  This is because the ultra-rich are making money from oil and industries don't want to have to spend money to correct their dangerous practices.\n\nThough Theodore Roosevelt, a republican, started the national parks and conservation, the present republicans are more in favor of cutting down the trees and selling them for a profit, and gutting conservation measures wherever it's  possible to make a profit doing so.\n\nConservative one-issue fundamentalist Christians have become unlikely bedfellows of the republicans.  It seems they can forgive their greed in order to get the power to force their moral choices on the unconverted.\n\nDemocrats have been the party of the working people, and favored programs that would benefit the weakest in our society at the expense of the rich. These are the people who could live very well on the interest from two million dollars. They are the first to suffer when the economy turns. They are the ones who have to bear the brunt of failed environmental, economic, and social programs.  \n\nIt's thanks to the democrats that we have a minimum wage, social security, child labor laws, health care for the poor, workplace safety laws.  Working people who have less than two million dollars to pass on to their children tax-free stand to benefit most from a democratic government.\n\nChristians who believe in the dignity of every invividual and their ability to make their own moral and spiritual choices are numbered with the democrats.
175175
It is totaly idiotic. We need to not let our infrastructer be sold off to the highest bidder, especially one with ties to 9/11. The govt. needs to top wasting our time and money in this BS war and use that money to buy back America.
829963
Republicans have always wanted to cut veterans benefits, and to cut social security benefits for our war veterans, our war handicapped, and the families of our war dead. It is simply too expensive.
756886
Sacrificing morality?  How about the Constitution?   I cant wait until all these neo cons realize that we were sold a bill of goods as far as terrorists go...and how much they sacrificed for a little bit of "safety"  After all, Homeland Security is big business.  It's not just you, they are off their rockers.
508513
Republicans have always been about foreign policy and Democrats have always been about domestic policy. We have spend over $280 Billion so far in Iraq. What does that translate to for the US? Over 10 Million new teachers or a million new fire engines or healthcare for 50 million Americans.\n\n"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity" - Preamble to the Constitution\n\nThere is a section in there about "promote the general Welfare". Maybe turboweegie is too busy spouting hatred and intolerance to read the first paragraph of the Constitution.\n\nEvery American taxpayer has spent over $2130 on this war so far, not including the massive interest we will pay on the debt from this war. Thats rougly equivalent to a years worth of gasoline for me and slightly less than I pay for a years worth of health insurance.
204571
Probably not, why would so many senators and congressman in both political parties be against it if it were a good idea.  The real question should be why does President Bush want Dubai to own the ports so bad?
1081426
They want something directly from the US.  They just haven't said what yet.\n\nThey also want to avoid making any further agreements with their neighbors in the region that would hamper their aspirations toward dominance of the region.
781128
I Can't enlighten you I am with you...\nWhat they are saying is...By saying Dems do not have a plan...\nDemocrats do not have a plan that Republicans support or care about...they will increasing minimum wagemakes businesses shut down and prices go up...Well really..Oregon has had an increased minumun wage and have grown jobs by 10%... They misinform because...they care not for the guy down the street and only care for the guy they shave with (themselves)...\n ELL ARTICULATED AND GREAT POINT..\nTK>>>>\nYou made a point that why let government fund something that is only theoretically helpful... As if  during Space Exploration  we are doing something except spending money...Why are you not up in arms about NASA...I guess getting TANG...makes it worth it for you....\n How about we take the Nasa money and spend it on finding cures...Oh  wait I know....You do not have a Disease...So who gives a damn right!!!!\n Also I read in a post who is going to pay for these programs...We for 3 years have been spending 10 million dollars an hour for a war of choice getting our heroes killed and occupying a middle eastern country...and Osama Bin Laden ...is not in that country...That is Amazing....and you never Scream..Who is paying for that war....You just keep guzzling Down the right wing Kool-aid....