Maloney, you are a trouble-maker. (Smile. I don't know how to post icons.)

Like a moth to a flame. I should let these foolish threads -- and in more than one instance, galactically ignorant rants -- alone, but they fascinate at the same time they repel.
It has always amazed me how quickly the "right" wing demonizes and disparages not just their opposition (i.e., Hillary, Kerry, Dems, Libs, etc.) but also their own when somehow they don't sufficiently pander to some special interest or party line. Imagine that, having a mind of your own, as John McCain has on occasion exhibited. Was McCain a war hero? How about John Kerry? Max Clelland? The soldier who blew the whistle on Abu Ghraib? Disagree with McCain, or, on a larger scale with Kerry, for public stances on issues, but understand one thing: they served honorably. Any disparagement of this fact renders all your loud pronunciations of patriotism and "support for our troops" meaningless. You parrot patriotism without honoring it.
Let's make one thing clear. Terrorists, whether Al Qaida or Islamic radicals of another persuasion, do not pose an existential threat to this society, this nation. They have no army of any consequence that can stand against ours. They are capable of random acts of violence and occasional catastrophes such as 9/11, but they cannot bring down our government or nation. We will do that ourselves -- out of fear and base motives. Divide and conquer. Put in place laws to surveille everyone and everything; relinquish the moral and ethical high ground; adopt torture as a means to an end; use lies and propaganda to advance agendas; add the arrogance of power to ignore and break laws already in place; demonize those who don't share your views or values or point out those things you don't want to hear (those damn Liberals and Liberal Media!) Seven and a half years of Bush and Conservative agendas have given us: 9/11; two failed wars (not militarily. Politically and strategically); a 2 trillion dollar debt; the worst international reputation in every recent poll; Katrina; a 2 trillion dollar debt; Enron; Jack Abramoff; a 2 trillion dollar debt; a backward standard of living for a vast number of Americans; a dis-functional gov't. divided along ideological lines; a 2 trillion dollar debt; a tanking economy; long term environmental problems and a looming environmental catastrophe; a 2 trillion dollar debt ...
But here's the good news: you guys still have your guns -- and a V.P. that REALLY knows how to shoot one. The bad news is that within a short space of time you won't have anything to shoot at. I don't suppose we should place any of the blame for that on the enlightened environmental policies of the environmentally conscious Republican administration and Congress. Don't forget the immortal words of Sen. J Inhofe, Republican of Oklahoma: "Global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated on the American public." I'd amend that to "the Bush administration", but, hey I'm partisan as hell.
Oh well. When game disappears, you can use your guns on all your perceived enemies of the Republic. Lowell can use his squirrel gun, Homeless Joe his 10 ga.. Jim Legg will make his presence felt as will Tanky and others, and Larry can provide intel and carry the "flag".
I trust y"all will take this in the spirit intended. "Careful where you point that gun, son."
Regards,
Will