I bet Paul's campaign had the signatures well before the deadline without even breaking a sweat.

My guess is that by the raw count they had enough, but that they could not validate enough of them. They probably had people signing the petitions who failed to tell the people gathering the signatures that were not even registered to vote, so those signatures did not count. This is a major embarrassment for these two candidates that will not do their campaigns much good in the credibility department. However, unless a lot of candidates start dropping out, it is likely to be a brokered convention anyway, with no one candidate having enough delegates to get the nomination outright on the first ballot. This would somewhat minimize the impact of this screw up, although it would not negate it entirely.

Princeton political scientist Larry Bartels studied the voting behavior of US senators in the early '90s and discovered that they respond far more to the desires of high-income groups than to anyone else. By itself, that's not a surprise. He also found that Republicans don't respond at all to the desires of voters with modest incomes. Maybe that's not a surprise, either. But this should be: Bartels found that Democratic senators don't respond to the desires of these voters, either. At all!

It doesn't take a multivariate correlation to conclude that these two things are tightly related: If politicians care almost exclusively about the concerns of the rich, it makes sense that over the past decades they've enacted policies that have ended up benefiting the rich. And if you're not rich yourself, this is a problem. First and foremost, it's an economic problem because it's siphoned vast sums of money from the pockets of most Americans into those of the ultrawealthy. At the same time, relentless concentration of wealth and power among the rich is deeply corrosive in a democracy, and this makes it a profoundly political problem as well.

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. - Ecclesiastes 5:10

Newt's lizard of a wife is all telling ... and how she came about ... YIKES!!!!

At least Virginia has it right .............

With such a split ticket, this is both embarrassing and could affect the final outcome. It's a loss of raw numbers and unless everyone keeps Virginia numbers as an aside, it is an important loss. It could play into the convention, brokered or not.

Glad these screw ups aren't going for anything important or we'd be in deep sh... oh... President?... damn.

Newt and Perry are two peas in a pot - "LOSERS"

Don't know if you folks around the US know of Perry's triple screwing of Texas Finances, but he has filed for and receiving is

1. Retirement Benefits while still
2. Being Paid as Governor and
3. Costing us an extra $400+/day to pay his Lt. Gov for watching his desk

Talk about about not managing the dollar for your Elected Office . . .

too funny...what you ask? ha ha ha ha the republican party..................candidates

kornfed, i confess, when i first got on this vine a little over a year ago, i didn't even know what a "troll" was in regard to the internet...now, i just wonder how much it pays? perhaps you can help me with that; or, are we to believe that you are so rich you have nothing better to do with your time. thank you newsvine for the ignore button, i think i'll use that lifeline now.

It's clear the likes of Gingrich and Perry don't have the snap to organize their way out of a shoebox. The other Repubs aren't any better. It's a big job and we need a president who can handle all the details.

The solution is simple: RE ELECT BARACK OBAMA.

oops! got my period and question mark crossed up on that one, sorry. does this mean i have to be a republican, now?

...The poor seem to be the only ones being placated by government policy at this time.

Kornfed, what do you believe causes poverty in America? Might it be that those wealthy "job creators" sent all our jobs to China? Might it be that those wealthy employers pay the lowest wages they can get away with, cut benefits to their workers, while taking millions for themselves?

The average family can't afford to send their kids to college. With lost jobs come lost homes. The middle class is trapped in a downward spiral. The gap between rich and poor grows ever wider...and who has all the political power in America? It sure isn't the poor.

Wake up. This situation will destroy our country if it isn't turned around.

This news is a WIN for America.

"Is that a Cuckoo's nest on top of Newt's head or is that perry's flea's nest ????

Fail to qualify for the Virginia primaries? Hell, either one barely even qualifies for the human race, let alone the republican one.

They can't do anything right

But what do you expect from a filthy Conservative with their phony economic theories. to their perpetual war machine. to their rape of the middle class so they can give everything to the rich 1%

Fine dining tradition continues for the 1% - Trickle up is working, anyone for a Bentley ?????????????

madMarinedad, I don't think Kornfed is a troll, it's much worse. He's a Republicon, but he's not rich, which means deep down he hates himself. He most likely peed a little when Murdouch got caught up in the phone scandal, afraid his storytellers at Faux would no longer be there to tell him bedtime stories.

Newt is hiding behind Perry's rock with his next wife, their taking a Bath ????????????? She said Newt is firing blanks in Virginia ????

Yes, Virginia. There is a Santa Claus.

@Kornfed, truth hurt much?

How freaking stupid do you have to be to believe that Newt Gingrich is making his money in the private sector? His income is based solely on his government connections. He is a former government employee - and a very dishonest one - who is whoring for Big Money.

Perry? How can you not just shake your head and wonder how Texas could be home to so many idiots. This is the best they have for a Governor? Oh that's right. They also elected George W. Bush.

Vote G.O.P. - Suicide by Republican.

The average family can't afford to send their kids to college

Ever wonder why? instead of blaming people who don't have a thing to do with it. It's the Universities and colleges my friend. Tuition has gone up 50% since 1995, doubled in the past 30 years. My sister is a professor at a large northern University, it is a cake job. She teaches 2 classes a week, that's it. I don't like government any more than you do, but it's not the Gov. it's the schools. Next time someone says "we don't spend enough on education", there lying. Typical liberal lies. Probably a union teacher saying it. Education spending has outpaced inflation by a huge %, and they still complain, enough of there lies.

hmm. lets put on our tin foil hats here for a minute shall we?

could this be some sort of conspiracy from the RNC to scuttle newt's campaign on the off chance that he actually wins the primary?? i mean, you have to be on drugs to believe newt could even come close to actually winning the general election...

not to be disrespectful, but poverty in America is caused by the government.

To address some of your points:

If that is the case, then the government which deserves the blame for creating poverty here is the eight year administration of Bush/Cheney and the nearly trillion dollars they wasted on invading Iraq.

Big business sent jobs overseas because the government allowed them to do so.

Again, we have the Bush administration to thank for that.

It's all relative...but the average family can send their children to college. It takes sacrifice, smart-spending habits, and maybe (correct me if I am wrong) the child bears some responsibility in their education when they go to college. I did and my own children do.

The average American family earns $40 thousand annually. According to the College Board website:

• In 2011-12, public four-year colleges charge, on average, $8,244 in tuition and fees for in-state students. The average surcharge for full-time out-of-state students at these institutions is $12,526.
• Private nonprofit four-year colleges charge, on average, $28,500 per year in tuition and fees.

You do the math. There are not enough places in public colleges for everyone who would like to attend them and even public schools are now prohibitively expensive for the middle class. College tuition of $50 thousand plus at pricey private schools is a drop in the bucket for the wealthy, however.

Government hand-outs should stop- then people will pull themselves up. And maybe, if we teach our children that $180 shoes are just not that important, we will see some different results.

What will happen then to the 25% of all American children who live in poverty? I guess they'd pull themselves up by their bootstraps? Too bad they don't have any boots.

Materialism is a sickness that has morally impoverished America. Letting children starve does not seem a workable solution to me.

@Kornfed, truth hurt much?

I suppose if I really were a poor bed-wetter, yes, it would.

If that is the case, then the government which deserves the blame for creating poverty here is the eight year administration of Bush/Cheney and the nearly trillion dollars they wasted on invading Iraq.

Well, he certainly was part of the problem,,,correct.

The average American family earns $40 thousand annually. According to the College Board website:

• In 2011-12, public four-year colleges charge, on average, $8,244 in tuition and fees for in-state students. The average surcharge for full-time out-of-state students at these institutions is $12,526.
• Private nonprofit four-year colleges charge, on average, $28,500 per year in tuition and fees.

You do the math. There are not enough places in public colleges for everyone who would like to attend them and even public schools are

But who's to say you're not?

Lets put the Tea-ReTards on the Unemployment in 2012, Eye for a Eye.

The GOP tossed Newt out of the house because he was to corrupt even for them.

There are rumors out Their that Grinch #3 was a call girl, Cell romance ?

Check out the living conditions of the poor in other nations.

You are talking to the wrong person about that, my friend. I have lived in and/or traveled to several third world countries. I have seen children eating out of dumpsters in Egypt; blind and limbless beggars in Bangladesh; the politically impotent young of Myannmar, among others.

This is precisely why I feel as I do about the vital necessity for America to have an economically vibrant and well-educated middle class. The Republicans clearly do not share that goal. We need more selfish rich people like we need more clowns on the Republican debate stage.

And this is the way The Newt would lead our country, unprepared, unorganized and constantly missing the boat. Recipe for disaster.

Sad. This is what we have become? What a joke. Maybe we can get Berlusconi to run here.

A child living in poverty has excellent opportunities. He or she can secure a student loan as well as getting help with low income houseing and food stamps while he or she is doing it. This country bends over to help the poor. Stop demonizing the U.S.

This needs to be addressed, because it's simply not true. Far from demonizing the U.S., I'm trying to shed light on reality in hopes of preserving the U.S.

A 1979 Carnegie study ("Small Futures: Children, Inequality, and the Limits of Liberal Reform", Richard de Lone principal investigator) found that a child's future to be largely determined by social status, not brains. Consider Bobby and Jimmy, two second-graders, who both pay attention in the classroom, do well, and have nearly identical I.Q.s. Yet Bobby is the son of a successful lawyer; Jimmy's works infrequently as custodial assistant. Despite their similarities, the difference in the circumstances to which they were born makes it 27 times more likely that Bobby will get a job that by time he is in late 40s will pay him an income in the top tenth of all incomes in this country. Jimmy had about one chance in eight of earning even a median income.

Now, three decades later, the projected inequality of fates of Bobby and Jimmy's second grade successors is even greater. For a variety of reasons to be here explored, inequality in the United States has increased to the extent that the gap between the rich and poor is larger now than at time since 1928--greater than that of any industrialized nation (see Edward N. Wolff's 1995 Top Heavy: A Study of Increasing Inequality of Wealth in America, Twentieth Century Fund, and his "The Rich Get Richer: And Why the Poor Don't"). A 2007 study of the Congressional Office Bureau found the wealth of the richest 1 percent of Americans totaled $16.8 trillion, $2 trillion more than the combined wealth of the lower 90 percent of the population. The Center for American Progress reported how between 1979 and 2007 the average income of the bottom 50 percent of American households grew by 6%; the top 1% saw their income increase by 229 percent.

Then you can appreciate how lucky we are to live in a capitalistic society.

I can appreciate how lucky we are to live in a democracy. We live in a country where every citizen has the same power--one vote-- as the most powerful person on earth, the President.

Unfortunately, our society is crumbling. It's rotting from within. History teaches how all the great empires have fallen. We need to wake up and level the playing field before we too become a third world country. The trends are clear for those with eyes to see.

Thank goodness elections aren't won simply with book tours or running ads or paying for signatures. This is one reason I don't support public funding--it should be capped and transparent--but candidates need to prove they have done the work and have supporters (in others words they need to be vetted).

This exposes serious organizational flaws in Gingrich's campaign, and is a huge embarrassment for him.

Gingrich was leading in most polls in Virginia, but since it's basically a 'winner take all' system for Virginia, this could be a disaster for Gingrich. How could his staff be so careless?

kaybee - the vital necessity for America to have an economically vibrant and well-educated middle class.

If I may jump in here on your dialogue, you have made some very important statements with which I agree. America, with all the opportunities she can provide, amazingly is producing increasingly lazy and ignorant citizens. The ultra-wealthy would like to eliminate the middle class altogether, and they may be on the right track. They would also prefer that we do not vote.

We need better teachers, and we need to pay them what they are worth.

Thank you!

I totally agree regarding comments about Ron Paul's chances. He is so going to win this thing, the GOP establishment won't know what hit them. Romney is not a Republican and therefore he can't win the nomination. I really don't know how to classify Romney. He could be anything because he believes in everything (including Santa).

to a previous poster, thanks for the heads up as to why one of America's largest exports is chopsticks. And I never would have thought this just a couple of months ago, but it does indeed sound like Ron Paul could very well be the republican nominee.

Me - Romney. He could be anything because he believes in everything

Romney is a political windsock, has no original ideas, and runs scared most of the time--none of which are good qualities in a leadership position.

The GOP wanna be's are so busy looking for dirt and the next new buzz word they forgot the basics of running a campaign.

I think it stands to reason that we are entering a new ERA of Politics and our choice of Representatives is really picking the one least full of sh!t...Sad..

Ron Paul is in a great spot right now, he can sit and watch the Insane Clown Posse implode...

Kornfed,

The social programs you mentioned in 1.8 were in existence prior to the period addressed by the Princeton study, so I would interpret the study as an indication of how things have changed. Yes, 50% don't pay fed income tax and more are on food stamps. Because Congress has been worried about, and overly generous to, them? No. Because jobs have been lost and new jobs pay much less than before (Rick Perry types of jobs), more people are now below or at poverty level. And a lot of this is because of what the study highlighted about our wonderful "government of the people". And yes, unemployment has been extended, because if you are a feudal lord, you can't let your serfs die of hunger, who will work for you? Worse yet, you don't want to get lynched when you return to your home district/state.

I agree with you that it is unfair to just blame just one group for our problems, i.e., the "evil rich", and let the other (government) just skate free. Frankly, if you take a step back and look objectively at the situation, you would see that the "evil rich" and Congress are often one in the same. Lobbying Glass-Steagall out of existence is a prime example of that.

I agree that businesses have a right to make profits (would be pretty stupid not to), but the issue is how they go about doing that. I think when people complain about the wealthy these days, they don't necessarily mean all of the wealthy (I certainly do not). There are many people of integrity who run their own successful businesses honestly without taking unfair advantage of others. These people deserve what they have earned, and I support and applaud them. These are mostly the small and medium sized business owners. Unfortunately, we also have the fat cats in corporate America and Wall Street who subscribe to the "greed is good" Gecko creed. Hence, we end up with financial derivatives backed by toxic mortgages which ultimately brought about a near total collapse of our (and the world's) financial system, and which did certainly cause such economic damage that millions of jobs were lost, and which thus increased the numbers of all those lucky stiffs on welfare, food stamps, and unemployment, what a great life they are living now. Of course, it's their fault for being born.

Wow, what sort of bona fide Republican candidate for president lacks the basic GOP monkey-business skills to manipulate their way (buy, bribe, cheat) into appearance on a state primary ballot? George W. Bush's political machine managed to put their man in the White House, even though he lost the 2000 election. That was the GOP at it's best, and what the party has come to expect of its candidates. This ineptness by the campaigns of Messrs. Gingrich and Perry shows they really aren't ready for 'GOP Prime-time' (AKA: "All monkey-business all the time"). :-)

The GOP T-ReTards in Washington are consciously trying to derail our Economy to provide fodder for their 2012 campaigns ? this is pushing us toward a second recession. Tens of thousands of people are losing their jobs and homes and the T-Tards are playing game with our life's. Wake up these lowlife's are destroying our Country.

American Honor - "Thought", Does "W" have any room on his 2000 acre ranch for the Iraq war dead so they don't end up in the Virginia landfill. Why did that jackass "W" lie to Congress to get us into the Iraq war, was it for oil ? "Blood for Oil="W"

KayBeeToys-

The reason for poverty in America, is America itself. We are cheap in what we want to buy. We want cheap stuff. The average american would rather save a few dollars and buy Chinese made stuff.

The problem is not a liberal (Democratic) or conservative (Republican) problem.

The problem is that Americans are CHEAP. We feel we deserve high wages for very little work (compared to other countries) We also live in a consumer Economy (that is another problem)

Romney vs. Obama--2012---Economy, Unemployment numbers, Domestic issues.

"Are you better off today, then 3 years ago"? Quote---

One more year will make the difference if there is no Change--

We must start with Hope again in 2012--

This Country must stay by it's Founding Father's words, with no Socialism for the United States. It does not work.

"Good constitutions are formed upon a comparison of the liberty of the
individual with the strength of government: If the tone of either be too high,
the other will be weakened too much. It is the happiest possible mode of
conciliating these objects, to institute one branch peculiarly endowed with
sensibility, another with knowledge and firmness. Through the opposition and
mutual control of these bodies, the government will reach, in its regular
operations, the perfect balance between liberty and power".

Alexander Hamilton, speech to the New York Ratifying
Convention, June 25, 1788

Patriotic American U.S.A.: Have you ever posted anything coherent, rational, or that just plain made sense???

Patriotic American:

Do you remember 9/11--What would President Obama have done when America was attacked on our Soil that day, without Provocation.--

Form a Committee?---or have a State Dinner.

Obama would have reacted exactly as ex Pres Bush--only, I'm not quite sure O would not want to have negotiated with the Terrorists first, who killed over 3500 Americans.

Did you know the Iraq War is Over. We have never gotten ANY Oil or gratitude from their Government or Maliki--they kept it for themselves. They are reacting like the rest of the Middle East---Hating Western Society and using US Military to fight their Wars..

Gingrich--yes, he IS the subject. Had to mention that.

A freak show following a train wreck to be sure! The GOP is a complete cluster flub! Oh they will put forth the presumptive nominee Willard Mitt Romney and he will loose ......again!

GA Girl:

Then I guess we will have NO President. Interim Committee?

Hope it's not another Gore Tactic, keeping the President from being announced, (voter fraud?, counting Chads?) sending the decision to the Supreme Court!

The Republicans did not commit this act of interfering with a newly elected Pres. taking over at the correct time..

BTW: Where is Al Gore? Maybe Newt will count the votes?

The GOP is a walking, talking, train wreck from Capital Hill to the GOP candidate field! They have no answers except old warn out talking points and pledges to everyone except the Average American. The choice is clear and the differences are stark and they are trying to generalize the ideas that All of America is as brainwashed, and indoctrinated as their loon base whom even they can't even seem to please or control, but I beg to differ! The American people are not going to take a chance and reward this do nothing obstructionist congress lead by the GOP by putting their hand picked wall street president into the WH! Just stay tuned cause it's about to get interesting and they are about to get even nuttier!

GA Girl:

Please tell me what this Administration has accomplished on the Home Front in 3 years? Promises are good, but they do not bring reality.

A Good Economy, 15 Trillion Dollars in debt, borrowing money from China, America's Credit Rating in the World at Number 2 now--

How have the regular citizens benefited by this Admin?--are they better off today or many years ago?--Do they own homes, have credit, have plenty of jobs, foreclosures, Government owning Auto Industries, owning "you"? Government Interference in our lives, Over Regulation, what we can and cannot eat? These cuts trickle into other freedoms.

We have a Nutrition Government--petty stuff that is made to be as important as creating jobs.

America has Crashed--from what it was many years ago, growing toward a Socialist Government that will not let the citizens be independent. Dependent on Government Programs---we, the Taxpayer pays for all of the people, whether they want Health Care or Not. Wasn't it true, that American Citizens were going to be fined, if they do not go along with the HCB? Does the Majority American want this Bill now?

Joe Biden; VP---he is one heartbeat away from the Presidency---this would be a Disaster.---

This Government is asking for Class Warfare, and they have it. Chaos on the Streets with the Fake OWS Protest---finally, individual States had the Police break up these Pranksters, who destroyed property, gathered bums, and criminals along the way--

What do you want---Peace?--We cannot live off the Fact that Pres. Obama did do an incredible job of getting rid of the worst Dictators in the ME/N. Africa since Hitler.

Foreign Policy and Acts, will not get this President the job. It is the Economy, as I have repeated too many times--The Welfare of the American People.

JOBS---people want to work. Where are they--none of the Infrastructure jobs created enough work to take care of the 9 per cent Unemployment rate. The longest Unemployment Rate since the 30's. Do you remember the 1930's. Have you experienced Hardship.

Hardship/America today. Betterment of American Lives means Change for 2012; it is an experiment, just like when Pres. Obama took over.

kaybeetoys,

I don't know why you put so much basis on such a slanted study. Bobby and Jimmy as second graders haven't chosen their path yet. Maybe Jimmy decides he doesn't want to be a doctor, or engineer right now because he can make what he considers good money at the local factory right now to help out his family. Maybe this study should be more closely related to his attitude in the teen years. Does he decide he wants to drink and have fun and waste his chances of making a difference in his life...or maybe he sees he can make more on welfare doing nothing instead of working a back breaking job like his old man and chooses not to try.

While Bobby's dad makes sure he goes to college and gets that opportunity...even though he may flunk out because he was partying just a little too hard and takes daddy's money for granted.

Any study that is trying to track children over their development has millions of variables. It isn't just a class or financial factor involved. Personality, work ethic, and decisions made as adults play a much larger factor here.

Ron Paul the only real candidate out there. Obama made a good run for office and making lots of potentially good promises in 08 but he has done almost exactly what a 3rd term of Bush would have done so now my vote that was for Obama 4 years ago goes to Ron Paul. A statesman with principles (not fair to call him a politician he doesn't deserve that derogatory name ). I find it funny Newt and Rick are even still kind of in the race, they don't have a shot in hell.

Hawaii please take those retreaded talking points and stick them in any dark vacant orifice on your person that will cause you immeasurable pain. Everyone knows that the son of a Bush drove the economy straight off a cliff and waging two wars off the damn books while cutting taxes on the rich hoping that money would suddenly materialize in the treasury to pay for it! This administration has been putting out fires started by son of a Bush since his swearing in! Then just as sh*t might be starting to move forward here comes the dumbest bunch of do nothing, obstructionist Bagger freshmen ever to walk the hallowed halls of our government! They have only been successful in doing absolutely nothing while cashing a fat checks from our government. Finally you have your freak show of a GOP field which looks more like a circus act then serious candidates so forgive me if I take your opinion to be less important then selecting a good brand of toilet paper!

GA Girl:

I KNEW IT---The same Old Bush Bashing, refusing to accept President Obama as the President of the United States (present) for 3 long years--One year left to clean up the mess bigger than Bush left it. BTW: I vote for the most qualified Candidate whether they are Democrat or Republican--

Three Years, my dear, three years!!!--It's about time you and all the others who blame Bush for today's problems throw it in a landfill.

Admit it. Obama can't do the job. He is in Hawaii now, running all over the World all the time, avoiding tackling the problems Bush left Behind. Why did O run for the Pres?

How will History treat his Legacy as---"I inherited this job" That's for wimps. He just does not want to work, plain and simple---Geithner, Rahm Emanuel, Bill Ayers, Eric Holder, Blagovich, Daley, The Rev Wright, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton can't help him now.

The Ship is sinking!!!---take responsibility. Bush is long gone--O forgot to do his homework. Blaming won't work anymore.---

2012---GA Girl--you might see the light. Living in a dark room, doesn't give one the ability to see clearly.

Where are you going to go when things "Change".

Have a Merry Christmas, or what ever you might celebrate!

12349876

Any study that is trying to track children over their development has millions of variables. It isn't just a class or financial factor involved. Personality, work ethic, and decisions made as adults play a much larger factor here.

The left does this in many other instances as well... Global warming...er Climate change anyone? Millions of variables, yet so certain are they of explanation. Cruising through life with tunnel vision allows for logical thought aimed at the wrong objective. The overall picture is ignored, and thus falsely perceived

Sure hope these jerks get the hint!

even as a republican, I detest some of the things they're doing..but..

no amount of money will turn me back to being a democrat either..

So now what ?

Both sides suck all to hell anymore.

The biggest laugh I get out of these threads, are from the ones painting the dems as angels in who is to blame for the mess we're in.

Far as the next election is concerned, I'll STILL vote for anyone other than the current potus. His lack of doing anything REAL about helping businesses make jobs is pathetic. Throwing money to keep current civil servants employed another 2 or 3 years is just horrible.

Until we get a prez that addresses REAL jobs, manufacturing, plants, etc., all this other posturing is for naught !

Hawaii Obviously, that dark orifice is yet to be found or you would be hawing in pain rather then posting the same old crap that only you and the base of the GOP still believe. Ya damn right! Son of a Bush left a 3 alarm fire and told the fire department to take the day off while he skipped off to Texas. Here's a clue if you think the American people are going to reward the do nothing obstructionist leadership of congress by electing the GOP Wall Street president to the WH then I have a box of rocks that has just earned a doctrinal degree in rocket science from the same school when you copied your talking points from. Oh and the change will come when we vote out that gaggle of loony bastards that tricked the American people in to thinking they actually had a damn clue in the last midterms. Keep your running shoes on because when the establishment Republican loose the election again they are going to kick those baggers so far out of their party they will have to use a GPS to remove their heads from their asses. Let's hope you are on the right side of stupid when that happens.

GA Girl:

Well, now you have resorted to using profanity to make comments.

Profanity is only used when one has run out of ideas and meaningful substance to talk about.

Try for a better exchange next time. Good luck!

"I am a Democrat who looks for the enemy"?---What? No growth there.

kaybeetoys,

I don't know why you put so much basis on such a slanted study. Bobby and Jimmy as second graders haven't chosen their path yet. Maybe Jimmy decides he doesn't want to be a doctor, or engineer right now because he can make what he considers good money at the local factory right now to help out his family. Maybe this study should be more closely related to his attitude in the teen years. Does he decide he wants to drink and have fun and waste his chances of making a difference in his life...or maybe he sees he can make more on welfare doing nothing instead of working a back breaking job like his old man and chooses not to try.

While Bobby's dad makes sure he goes to college and gets that opportunity...even though he may flunk out because he was partying just a little too hard and takes daddy's money for granted.

Any study that is trying to track children over their development has millions of variables. It isn't just a class or financial factor involved. Personality, work ethic, and decisions made as adults play a much larger factor here.

12349876, it looks like you missed the point of the study I cited. The boys weren't tracked. They were fictional kids who were used as examples of the huge opportunity gap that exists in present-day America. Of course there are many factors that determine one's destiny, and there are certainly real-life examples of poor American kids who have done well. But in the aggregate, this study demonstrates how we have lost one of the most basic freedoms we value: the freedom of opportunity.

It is a fact that the child of a professional man has a much better chance of living in a neighborhood where the public school is good. That child is more likely to have a stable home structure. He is less likely to drop out of high school and more likely to attend college.

Less than 75% of American kids graduate from high school! The 25% who don't are handicapped when it comes to employment. The poor child is far more likely to fall into that category than the child of a middle class family.

Low-paid low-skill factory jobs have been shipped overseas, and too many Americans are not well enough educated to perform the high-tech work now required in modern factories.

We are choking the middle class to the detriment of the entire country and turning millions from middle class to poor. Meanwhile, the rich grow richer. They can't milk the middle class if it vanishes, and in the end they will cut their own throats with their greed.

kaybeetoys "Less than 75% of American kids graduate from high school! The 25% who don't are handicapped when it comes to employment. The poor child is far more likely to fall into that category than the child of a middle class family."

What you say is true, but is it a result of less educational opportunity or perhaps less aptitude? Most likely it's a combination of both.

What if the GOP had a Party and nobody came?

What you say is true, but is it a result of less educational opportunity or perhaps less aptitude? Most likely it's a combination of both.

ROY WILSON, that could be debated endlessly. But there is no denying that poor kids go to inferior schools compared to kids who are raised in middle class or wealthy neighborhoods. Kids who are so poor they have to work to help support the family or who drop out of school to get a job do not have the same chance as a kid who is given the time to focus on school above all else.

Look at the changing composition of the American population and tell us that it is not of urgent importance to prepare all our children to live in the technologically complex environment of our time. We will never be able to compete with the rest of the world if we fail to educate and prepare the next generation. Rich or poor, we all deserve an opportunity in America.

Bummer for Virginia. Two fewer FREAKS in the Republican FREAKSHOW.

Less entertainment for the State of VA!

Hawaii Tired old talking points bring that out in me..I highly recommend that you beat that drum somewhere no one has heard it before and you may get someone to waste their time with it. So in the immortal words of Micheal Jackson "Just beat it!"

kaybeetoys

So these are hypothetical kids and situation. Hypothetical or real the flaws of this so called study are the same, which make it a biased piece of garbage to base nothing of any merit.

I place more merit in each individuals determination and drive to make something of themselves. A blanket categorization of someone based on class or financial situation is not by any means a fair way to measure the situation or your statistics.

Rich or poor, we do deserve an opportunity, but we each have to take our own steps to get there.

So much for Gingrich.

Paul?? Are you kidding??? The guy has never passed a piece of legislation in his almost 70 years, never won a primary or a single state in his Presidential campaigns. He's a punch line.

Poor, poor republicans. Stuck with the Mormon everyone loves to hate as their best chance. ...and "followers" still arguing that if anyone isn't rich or graduating from Harvard, it must be their own fault for picking the wrong parents. You grand old party has beens deserve each other.

Gingrich doesn't want to be President. This is just another book tour for him.

He's sighing with relief. Nearly becoming a contender scared the poop out of him.

AND a visit to TIFFANY's on Route 7 in Tysons Corner for his wife!

Durango, spot on with that point. This is the Kiss of Death for them both. Hopefully the field will narrow quickly so we do not hear the rantings of Gingrich, the stupidity of Perry and the listlessness of Santorum, and Huntsman. The only 2 worth listening to are Romney and Paul. In all candor, Romney is nothing but a RINO on a puppet string.

Newt is a GOP Reject flying high in the polls on Viagra, Throw the book at Getrich.

Nearly becoming a contender scared the poop out of him.

I think Gingy is still loaded with poop. Wait and see how he tries to spin this.

Most of the Teabagger candidates are just along for the ride...how does Santorum make his living, after all? Bachmann and Perry should stay home and do the jobs the taxpayers have paid them to do. It's a clown show and nothing more. For shame, Republicans.

Another rightie-nome conspiracy theory fraud.Yes it is an Hawaiian birth certificate...,but what about bushies 2 yrs.missing guard service in Arkansas? or whereever he could hide and snort.....

Stop making sense, you'll confuse both sides.

Yes we have to settle for a crappy president now because bush was a crappy president then. That brainless logic is why we are in the mess we are in.

After reading some of the idiotic right wing posts here today I can only assume Karl Roves paid trolls are out in force or the GOPs brainwashing campaign is working on the weak minded.

I smell lawsuits a plenty. Can't play by the rules? That's ok, just get the courts to invalidate your stupidity.

what is upsetting to me is his now complaining about the system his own party help set up. And then wanting to change it to meet his own needs.....I have to wonder if he wouod be so willing to change the VA system if it had been one of the other runners for president for the republican party.?

So, I guess this really means that Newt couldn't sell 10K of his books in Virginia.

I agree. Personally, I think the election is over. The President will be re-elected, thanks to the GOP. I can't believe the disorganization, lack of control by their party higher ups and the inflated egos that have taken over the GOP.

Peace.

Obama won't need any excuses, the Reoublican machine is already somewhat destroyed all by their own doing. By the time Nov 2012 arrives all that will be left is some of the loud mouth Baggers that the supermarkets won't even hire.

Well said!

bobr... I like the SuperMarket thing. LOL.

By the way, you speak the truth

Devil Girl, ha ha, pretty pitiful response, As Pres. Obama, continues to lead this nation forward with plans that work, joblessness falling, slowly, respect from the world that he doesn't get here at home, all his accomplishments, Bin Laden, and 22 of 30 al Queda leaders dead and gone, being faught every step by your's sides desire to slash and burn all his work, just to beat him. The end of DADT, rebuilding our nations' auto industry, the list goes on. And the "front leader" Newt, and the Christrian cuckoo Santorium, can't get 10,000 signatures to even run in VA. is beyond laughable. Pres. Obama's numbers rising every month, must be scary to be a Tpub.

Porkulus?

Man, your inept attempt at combininb real words to make new ones reached a new low.

That was redicustupidulous.

I know, C J. What a joke. These guys want to run the most complex system in the world, and they can't even turn in the proper paperwork? Can't get enough signatures? Based on the recall numbers, 10k signatures is a pretty low bar. Hell, they should be able to get that by passing the paper around to their friends and family.

What a sad end to the republican party. A party that started off with a progressive agenda and one of the greatest presidents we've ever had, has now turned into the 1860 Democratic party. That's what happens when you let any morally bankrupt group that will vote for you to become part of your party.

Now, even holding the moral low ground doesn't help them gain credibility amongst the bottom feeding conservative crowd.

They are on the way out, and the desperation shows.

Bu-Bye Republicans! Bu-Bye!

ONE MAN is trying desperately to turn this country around when you have a do nothing congress, the tea party radicals holding the country hostage with their "let them eat cake attitude" and you want to BLAME President Obama?

I suggest you come to the DC area and pay attention first hand to see how out of control the Republicant party is... my hope NO my PRAYER is that they are ALL voted out in 2012... especially Boehner and McConnell who have sworn an oath to Grover Norquist (LOBBYIST) to make Obama a one term president...!!!!!!!!!

Never liked Newt and never will.

He is just another crook with power.

Hey ShortOrderKook, this is for you.

michelle-1073610-Devil Girl, ha ha, pretty pitiful response, As Pres. Obama, continues to lead this nation forward with plans that work...

Ha! Lead? Plans that work? These two things can't be put in the same sentence as Obama. LOL

The unemployment numbers are only down because so many fell out of the job market and stopped looking for work, indicating how PITIFUL and worthless Obama's policies are.

The media will only heap praise and fawning coverage of this disaster and idiots who don't pay close attention are the only ones who think Obama is doing anything well.

Small businesses who have always been the backbone of the American economy are scared of Obama's anti-business attitude and legislation, and can't do any real hiring until his destructive influence is ended. Obama's extreme leftist ideology blinds him to reality. He will push the same failed socialist policies over and over, and when they fail to work, he just blames someone or something else.

Still, all of this ignores the other very ugly truth about Obama's sinister history of anti-Americanism, personal associations with communists and domestic TERRORISTS (Van Jones, Bill Ayers), 20 years at the fanatical black racist church of Jeremiah "God damn America" Wright, as well as the fact that Obama is the least qualified or experienced president in history.

If a ham sandwich runs for president against Obama, I'm voting for the ham sandwich.

Communism! hurry! hurry! We can't get there fast enough.

It's another word for socialism and we can't wait any longer!! "Give me", "gimme", "I need", 'I want" the government to "give me"!! I I I I it's about me me me me.

Hey devilgirl,

We survived george bush, you'll survive Barack Obama, in spite of your rethugli-con darlings in the Senate.

Machine Head, I recognize your talking points, one by one, all straight from Faux News, you all need a new script, 'cause that dog don't hunt no more.! lol

After all those years in Washington, shanking some pretty skanky stuff, Newt must have asked his staffers to contact his favorite pimps to help collect signatures - forgetting that his 'treats' were under-age and registered only under a pseudonym at a local STD clinic. Way to go Newt! No wonder the signatures didn't match up with anything beyond a vice rap sheet.

The Three Stooges are alive and well within the rethugli-con party.

Amazed even more if there are 10,000 people in Virgina that can read, write & sign their names....

Virginia Primary, who/what is that?

Newt must a thought that a Virginia Primary was a contest to be the first to bone her, and he'd already been there when she was under-age. Way to go Newt - you disgusting, philandering, snout-in-the-public-trough crook!

Newt might screw up, but at least he marries his mistakes.

Ron Paul does not have to buy any primaries.People realize he stands for a government designed "For the People by the People"thats why he is likely to win the Iowa primaries.Quit spouting lies and untruths.Get your facts straight

Newt's only 'shot' at the White House is to sneak into the Oval Office late one night with one of his neon spandex clad campaign consultants.

Nice one DQ!

Why don't they hire Steven Colbert as an election consultant; he looks willing to help.

*claps*

Very nice! :D

Perry:

Rick Perry To-Do List for Virginia Primary

1) File candidacy papers with Va Sec'y of State
2) Pay filing fee
3) .....................................................................

oops.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LOL Good one!!

Yeah. Newt had to go to God to get forgiveness. No one else will.

I know! It's like the Republican base totally forgot that their new favorite front runner had 84 charges of ethics violations, and then resigned from the house in disgrace. And let's not forget him leading the charge against Clinton and his sexual misconduct, all the while he's cheating on his wife.

He's about as scummy as you can get, and the Republican voters absolutely love him. It says a lot about their party...

Can't add anything there.Well put.

I agree with you workhorse, I always feel like I need a long hot shower every time I see or hear one these Republican/Tea Party radicals.

Whoever runs against Obama well win. I hope its Ron Paul, it would be great to have a president who loves the usa and the constitution.

The Republican party,inept functioning,always inconsequential,with twitts and newts,bushies and bgrade actors,snots and trumpers,teabuggers and mormunns with money,small-minded bachhmans and teary orangemen.Someday we won't have them to kick around,'till then,lets relish their demise.Obama IS a double digit winner in '12......thanks to these folks,teas just pee I'm processing.

That is the best description of the Republican Party I've ever heard...Bravo!

Thats right! Ron Paul 2012!

Hey palmquist. You had to vote one for yourself.

Ron Paul has some good ideas, but on the whole, like libertarians in general, he is too rigid and fixated on the letter of the law constitutionally...it's no different than the rigidity you find in people who take the Bible or anything else too literally; way too narrow and dangerous for it. You can admire his steadfastness, but he lives in a black and white world only a sophomoric teenager could love.

Unfortunately your views are closer the truth than many are willing to admit. Libertarians, as a rule, have a personal philosophy which they have developed over time. It "works" for them... so they assume it will work for everyone.

In fact, you could say that a true Libritarian is as close to a benevolent fascist as you can get - without using storm troopers to enforce the rules.

One of the biggest reasons that the Libertarian party has remained small (at best an off-shoot of one or the other major parties) ... is if you get 5 of them in a room to establish a policy; by the time they leave the room - there will be 10 different, conflicting final recommendations. None will give up on either their principles or any nuance of how it should be applied.

Politics, large scale politics and policy, are based on compromise and accommodation - if you are unable to be flexible... you are wasting your time.

The difference between a Democrat and a Libertarian ... is the democrat is willing to concede that if Wolves (GOPper) and Rabbits (Democrat) are planning the menu for the evening meal... the Democrat is willing to give the Rabbits a voice with a little extra weight over what is off on the menu.

Oh how misguided you are ...the nation is in the @!$%#ter because of an attitude like yours. The Libertarian's were the ones that started this country which allowed it to be what it is today. Democrats and Republicans look at an issue in either "a or b" option; but there is always a third option. The government can not be a part of it; and that is where the Libertarian steps in. The government has no business taking away my guns, has no business deciding for me what is safe or not, if i want to buy a car without air bags and save a few hundred dollars then it is my right. If i want to sit on my ass and be lazy then it is my right, but the government does not have the right to give me other peoples money for it. Like a broken computer we need to be reset, we have so many unnecessary and non-free laws that we are becoming robots to the government machine. But both the Democrat and Republicans don't care about fixing that, they want to add more and more government.

Ron Paul-The American appeaser. England had Neville Chamberline.

appeasment or non-intervention... call it 6 or call it 1/2 dozen, its still the same number. Somethings you can put off, but there will come a day when facts can't be avoided. We all want peace, the question is whether peace at any price is worth the cost.

After Neville came back to England with a assurances from Germany, everyone thought Germany would be satisfied with just a little expansion...

Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Germany. When Adolf Hitler continued his aggression by invading Poland, Britain declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, and Chamberlain led Britain through the first eight months of the Second World War.

So, lets review: legalize drugs so the American Republic becomes the dumping ground ground of ever drug producing dictatorship in the world? Its too hard too educate, eradicate or resist the sapping of our native industriousness - so just give up and maybe let the feds and states make money off addictions - no big deal, we already have states using gambling and lotteries to finance schools, so they are already filling the Treasury with the spoils of degenerate state sponsored vices... whats the cost of expanding those kind of enterprises. Sett up Marijuana, Heroine, Cocaine vending machines in the neighborhood7 - 11, they already sell alcohol, lottery tickets - one more addiction ain't gonna' hurt.

remind me now ...who's side is he on?

If you legalize drugs in this country, you remove the demand high profit from overseas suppliers who would then mainly focus elsewhere.

Not too mention, you would have more in country competition of drugs... you also remove the drug war, and can actually focus on treating drug abusers so it stops rather than provoking it and putting them in jail and turning them to actually become violent.

You would remove a huge black market in this country and also from outside the country. You would actually put cartels out of business. Heck it could actually start hunger ending strategies in countries that grow drugs rather than food. The drug war is the reason why poppies are worth more than food in afghanistan... why marijuana is worth more than the local produce in south america... and even why cocaine is too. Cocaine isnt worth more than marijuana for any real reason besides the US justice system deciding its a higher risk to be a cocaine dealer than a marijuana dealer.

The government has no business taking away my guns, has no business deciding for me what is safe or not, ...

What you are basically saying is that you no one has the right to tell you to do anything you don't want to do...like a child yelling "you're not the boss of me", it's a puerile and short-sighted attitude which works fine if you are living in the woods away from others. Collections of people living cooperatively is called a society or a civilization and requires the lubrication of both politeness and rules of conduct. It strikes me that libertarians want the conveniences of cooperative living but not the responsibilities that include checks on their individuality. You have the right and freedom to go off and live by your own rules any time you want...you just can't do that in the middle of a busy city.

Society has the absolute right to tell you where and when you can fire your weapons and even whether or not you have the character to own one. They can also stipulate other rules like seat belts and air bags because all too frequently they end paying for the uninsured libertarian's post accident medical bills.

The reality is that individuals and their rights to be "free" do not arise except by way of human social groups in the first place. Hence, the individual is a secondary rather than primary aspect of what it means to be a human. The are good and inventive effects that come from romantic ideals of the lone wolf, but the pack is the superior and primary function of wolfdom. Life is simply more important in the overall scheme of things than lives.

EddieisFiction,

I agree with nearly everything you said.

You would remove a huge black market in this country and also from outside the country. You would actually put cartels out of business

The only thing which "might" change is the players. None of the established Drug companies would hesitate on minute, one second - before unleashing their own in-house recreational drug lines.

The already have the talent, the distribution channels and access to law enforcement, law makers (and it would not take much to convince me) that they are already clandestinely working with the Colombians, Mexican, Bolivian...etc. Drug cartels - if not directly , then in the capacity of technical support.

The savings you think would come from legalizing these drugs amnesty policies would raise the human cost, exponentially, as soon as the lid is removed.

I noted earlier today an article which detailed that High school athletes died, fro injecting himself... in a team drug party, with a few of the other members of the football team. Heroine ... only loser, derelicts and tattooed, bikers and biker sluts use heroine. That drug is so well known for addiction and abuse that most law enforcement types barely keep records on it anymore.

For a resergence in these old loser, non-glamourus junk drug to start coming back - only signals that ignoring drugs is not going to lead a platue effect, where people will no longer be facinated once it looses its "forbidden" allure.

Once, historically, China turned a blind eye to drug use. It was seen as reward for old people who - no longer contributing to work, could wile away their declining years in an opieum clouded fog. it didn't stay that way for long. Eventually (and to this day) they resorted to clearing up the drug problem, and its related criminal component... by execution. Seems reasonable, since drug addicts are a burden onsociety at best and at worst, are like rotting meat in the street - attracting flies, vermin and parasite who then infect everything around them.

Just like with any other legal drug; Alcohol, cigarettes, pain killers ... the black market continues to exist, because the addiction is vile and hidden. Not because its difficult to get, buy or has a high cost, but because it shameful and exploitative once the user is enthralled by it.

Personally: I'd rather see (or assume) anyone I cared about dead, rather than under the influence of several highly addictive drugs.

whether it is classified as a disease or lack of moral fiber or a chemical imbalance - the end game remains the same. The recidivism rate is way too high to claim cured..

punk-2081962

Time to bring out those vote collecting bumper stickers:

"Blingrich" or

"Newt-slobber-my-johnston-Gingrich"

Good question. I think Newt, at least, is still so full of hot air that he can remain the blowhard windbag he has always proven to be.

(Looks like we both need our morning/afternoon/evening coffee!)

I too notice a family resemblance!

Well, funny you should use word bankrupt:

SC GOP Party officials have confirmed meeting with Steven Colbert earlier this year to discuss a deal that would have renamed the balloting "The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary" in exchange for a check from the comedian. He had initially offered them $400K for this.

I would have loved to see Colbert sponsor this with his yes/no corporations are people/only people are people addition to the ballot.

joe mama did your know that Obama put the two wars and prescription drug on the books that Bush left off.

Palmquist: your clever retort is disqualified. You did not begin with: "conservative fun fact" and your post was riddled with facts.

Not only did the Republicans back out of the deal they made with Colbert, they also decided that the taxpayers of SC could fit the bill for their primary. Colbert is now donating $500,000 from his super PAC to cover the cost to the taxpayers:

http://www.thestate.com/2011/12/22/2088020/op-ed-naming-rights-state-mottos.html#storylink=addthis

Joe Mama -

What a lie! The real facts can be seen quickly by just looking at the figures for our national debt.

The numbers show that Bush and Republican dominated Congress were responsible for $7.1T of national debt in the 8 years that Bush was in office; that's 50% of our current $14T national debt.

But, after this fiasco, there is little chance that they will be back in power to finish the job of bankrupting this country.

Mr. Engineer your figures in round numbers are correct. What you left out is what tells the tale of where we are headed if we don't make an abrupt u-turn really soon. If Bush is responsible for half of the $14t, guess who is responsible for the rest??? Give up? It's our campaigner in chief, the one the only, the worst president in the history of the universe, Barak Husain Obama. He doubled the debt in only two years and his grand plan to finish us off entirely doesn't even go into effect until after he is gone. (don't kid yourself, a sack of rotten potatoes would best this guy in '12) If "Obamacare" is allowed to go into effectt as it stands, the only way to pay for it will be to tax everyone at something like 50%...sounds like socialism to me. The Obama high speed train to ruin is headed for the last station at break neck speed. If your a progressive, would sombody please tell me what it is you think we are progressing towards and when do we say we have arrived?

Palm...

Don't forget that the 1st Trillion was already put in the pipeline by Bush. No way not to spend it even though everyone knew it wouldn't help anyone but the people and companies that caused the problems in the first place.

joe mama-2591591

How do you have a "...fascist liberal agenda."?

Fascism and liberalism are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Look up the definitions yourself and then let me know your answer.

teabuggers have no ability to"look-up"concrete defining concepts...they prefer make-believe and self-defined "strateeejury"

Anyone who uses the term "teabagger" or "teabugger" is incapable of being taken seriously. Modern fascism developed from "progressivism", so is in fact inherently left. Thus: "liberal fascism"...

Ken Unger that is so typical of someone who is a political hack and can not put his country first! You liberals have selfish and intolerant views on those who are different or whose opinions don't match your own. You liberals accuse me of being racist because I disagree with Obama, yet I wasn't a racist when I disagreed with past Presidents. I realize the definition of racist no longer means the same as it once did, so the thought of being accused no longer has the effect of shame or disgust. I don't have a problem with the half-black in the White House, it's the worthless, arrogant, chicken feces half-white that I see as an incompetent fool.

I see the tea party as more of a common sense party that beleaves in the constitution.The republicans have been saying no to insane spending.

Forteen now fifteen trillion in dept! How much can the country take? Ron Paul is the only one who well do what is needed.

No lugg66.....not just racist,......a lug-nut teabugger racist,and RonPaul is a minor troll lacking both ability and awareness.

@lug66 Ken Unger that is so typical of someone who is a political hack and can not put his country first! You liberals have selfish and intolerant views on those who are different or whose opinions don't match your own. You liberals accuse me of being racist because I disagree with Obama, yet I wasn't a racist when I disagreed with past Presidents. I realize the definition of racist no longer means the same as it once did, so the thought of being accused no longer has the effect of shame or disgust. I don't have a problem with the half-black in the White House, it's the worthless, arrogant, chicken feces half-white that I see as an incompetent fool.

I couldn't have said it better. The Democrats have done a good job at convincing voters that the Republicans are the racists. The KKK was started by a Democrat. The rich, powerful, greedy politicians around Chicago with the help of the unions have taken our country hostage and put a narcissistic sociopath in office. (Rod Blagojevich got 14 years for federal corruption - are you surprised.. - Jesse Jackson Jr. was some how involved wanting to buy that seat so the news said and blacks buy into this party's nonsense when they could free themselves - real freedom and integrity and take a look at the Republican party.)

The intelligent blacks are the Republicans - Michael Steele, Tim Scott, Allen West, Clarence Thomas, Frances Rice, Jennifer Carroll, Alan Lee Keyes. These black Republicans aren't in trouble for illegal behavior like Charlie Rangles (Rep. of New York and in trouble for kick-backs and greed constantly).

look at the National Black Republican Association's site and see if you realize that many of you have been duped into believing you have to vote for a Democrat ---- your integrity is at stake.

I see the tea party as more of a common sense party that beleaves (BELIEVES!) in the constitution.The republicans have been saying no to insane spending.

Forteen now fifteen trillion in dept! (DEBT!) How much can the country take? Ron Paul is the only one who well (will) do what is needed.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How can you be taken seriously when you can't even SPELL at basic grade-level competency???
TeaBag Idiots. Sheeze! Have another gulp of that beer you're drinkin'.

rtwngrsrchknsht: Then you truly know NOTHING about Rob Paul, his views from his own lips (not someone else's second-hand skewed talking-points), or our Constitution. When hacks from BOTH sides attack the man for his beliefs in freedom, personal responsibility, individual freedom, and being a good & fair country to other countries around the world...then all is lost. With the likes of Bush and Obama (two sides of the same coin) running our country into the ground and creating enemies faster than we can kill them, it would seem obvious to me that we need to do something different than simply more of the same... Ron Paul is the only common-sense choice for our future, or we will soon be at war with Iran, while our country's economy keeps sliding backwards... It can be stopped, it doesn't have to happen. Vote Ron Paul!

Cid Young: His spelling wasn't the best, but his sentiments were dead-on target. Ron Paul is the only candidate from either party who will stop the insane spending. That's the most important thing facing our country at the moment, so if for nothing else that's why Ron Paul gets my vote. (Properly spell-checked for your approval)

Nope, not all of us. Vote RON PAUL!

This is a set-up to have a showdown between Romney and high flying Paul, to recapture the polls. imnsho

No chance should be Romney's middle name.

This is even better! LOL

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=jibjab+obama&mid=3801946B6BF04212DD0D3801946B6BF04212DD0D&view=detail&FORM=VIRE7

Even funnier! ha ha ha ha

That's just dumb. The notion that the Dems want a moderate to run is insane. Romney is the only viable candidate, so he's the last person we want on the other side. For a while, I thought that Palin was our only hope of keeping Obama in office, but the Republicans just keep on giving. After trying to push a witch on us with Christine O'Donnell, they are now trying to give us Eye of Newt for President. While McSame and the Hockey Mom were indeed a joke, having Perry or Newt is almost as good. If this is the best Republican you can find, you deserve another four years of Obama.

We're getting our candidate chosen for us. Just like ass-bag, McCain was chosen for us.

Wow, someone finally noticed. Of course you're getting your candidate chosen for you. The corporate owners of the GOP want their hand-picked puppet on the ballot. They're not about to leave that in the hands of the average Republican voters.

Yes,Romney could be a democrat if you look at his record. Im in arizona and i dont know one person who voted for McCain in the last rodeo.If anything McCain is a good example of why we need term limits,i think the same as the president.

Ron Paul is the only decent one running.He would eliminate wasteful non constitutional agencys and end the wars and close bases overseas.Whats wrong with this thinking?

Ron Paul is the only hope the Republican Party has to defeat Obama. In the last election, Obama rode to win on the votes of college campus young America, older Americans who were disillusioned with the current status quo, and folks who were tired of slipping deeper into poverty. Does this platform sound familiar?? Ron Paul Will beat the Obama machine the same way Obama beat his opponent in the last election. Feel the pulse of America's youth. Talk to your college age kids. Get on board!!! Ron Paul 2012 !!!

hahahahahahahaha....you guys just crack me up.rp is a troll.

I actually like Ron Paul, but it's all of his "State's Rights" talk that moves me away from him.

Momus2009: Why does that drive you away from Ron Paul? Our states have become powerless and meaningless under our ginormous abomination of a Federal government! The Constitution spells out exactly what the duties of the Federal government should be, and folks at the state level should decide what's best for them in their own spheres. What's good for Maine, may not be for California. What's bad for Nevada may not be for Michigan. That's why "state's rights" is just such a basic fundamental right, granted to us under our Constitution.

Jim Crow (State Law) was defeated/pushed off the books by Federal Law. The states argued Jim Crow was their devine right. Oh, I see Ron Paul's point.

That is hilarious, you don't like your own candidates so you are calling it corruption. Yea your candidates are chosen for you, by the RNC!

What the hell did you expect from a Koch Bros. owned GOP? The GOP makes no bones about being the party of the rich, while the Democrats make believe they are not. Both parties are indebted to corporations thanks to the nature of our political system. Merry Christmas!

3 Gold Bars....You can't seriously believe that the Federal Government is in control of the states as much as you claim. All politics is local my friend. It's not the Federal government that I'm worried about, but rather my jacked-up City, County and State government screwing me over. People that blame the Federal Government for everything that's bad in this country don't understand local politics. The states have rights of their own, but bobbbsoxx hit it on the head. What Paul is talking about is going back to the 1940's way of thinking and that @!$%# ain't cool. I live in the South and I know what all of that "State's Rights" talk is all about. I'm all for freedom, equality and living and letting live. You don't @!$%# with me or my family and I won't @!$%# with yours. That's the way life should be and I don't need the state telling me any more than I need the Federal Government telling me, but if I had to choose between the two, I'll take the Feds over some red-neck Republican governor!

Yeah! We want continued unbridled spending and debt, more unemployment, more food stamps, higher healthcare costs with less choice, we want to be told how warm to keep our homes in winter, how cool to keep them in summer!! We want to be told what to drive, what to eat, and how much we're allowed to drive our cars! YEAH!! FOUR MORE YEARS of a downgraded rating and poverty!! YEE HA!! GOBAMA!!

How soon you forget....

I dare you to ask your grand parents or parents what they were doing during the "Great depression"? Soup kitchens, exclusion laws to keep itenerant workers from moving into the West, especially California, Washington state, Oregon.

They said Jeb, move away from here - California is the place you ought to be.