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Re: $700 billion with no strings attached

LD Jackson — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:27:32 -0000

I agree, Wickle. This administration did the worst thing it could do in rushing TARP through Congress without putting the proper safeguards into place to make sure this money was spent wisely. I didn't agree with TARP in the first place and this just makes a bad situation even worse.

Re: $700 billion with no strings attached

LD Jackson — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:27:32 -0000

Re: Merry Christmas

LD Jackson — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:00:36 -0000

Thanks, Ron. We are settled down now, everyone has left and it's just me, Randi, and my wife, Tammy. It's been a good day.

Re: Merry Christmas

LD Jackson — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:00:36 -0000

Thanks, Ron. We are settled down now, everyone has left and it's just me, Randi, and my wife, Tammy. It's been a good day.

Re: When I am overwhelmed, lead me to the rock

LD Jackson — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:53:49 -0000

David,
I am afraid we haven't been doing so well. Tammy is still pretty sick and I am still trying to find comfort and the rock. I am not sure I have found it yet.

Re: When I am overwhelmed, lead me to the rock

LD Jackson — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:53:49 -0000

David,
I am afraid we haven't been doing so well. Tammy is still pretty sick and I am still trying to find comfort and the rock. I am not sure I have found it yet.

Re: Israel strikes Gaza

LD Jackson — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 05:15:52 -0000

Muskogee,
If I am not mistaken, isn't Netanyahu one of the ones who has pushed for a much harder stance against Hamas? I may have him mixed up with someone else.

Brian,
I agree. It's a shame it has to come to this, but Israel does have a right to defend itself and it's citizens.

Re: Israel strikes Gaza

LD Jackson — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 05:15:52 -0000

Muskogee,
If I am not mistaken, isn't Netanyahu one of the ones who has pushed for a much harder stance against Hamas? I may have him mixed up with someone else.

Brian,
I agree. It's a shame it has to come to this, but Israel does have a right to defend itself and it's citizens.

Re: Merry Christmas to GMAC

LD Jackson — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:38:44 -0000

You are right, Kerry. GMAC is not a real bank. In reality, all this ruling is is a rewording of their official title, so they can grab a piece of the bailout pie. They saw their chance and they took it.

Re: Merry Christmas to GMAC

LD Jackson — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 02:38:44 -0000

Re: Hamas and Israel--The irony of peace

LD Jackson — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:27:47 -0000

Gbarr,
Did you not read what the Hamas charter stated? It was their clear intention to completely do away with Israel. They have had chance after chance to have peace with Israel, yet they continue to break truce after truce, as the previous commenter stated.

I have a question for you. How can you honestly believe that Israel was the overwhelming military force in the region in 1948, just a year after they were given their homeland? I think that is a bit of a stretch, for a country that was just getting it's feet under itself and beginning to function as a sovereign nation.

I think also that you need to understand the situation Israel has found itself in throughout it's history. They have been scattered across the world, with no land to call their own. In WWII, Hitler killed some 6 million of them and I believe that is one reason they always respond with such force. They are determined that something like that will never happen again.

Regardless of how you or I believe on the subject, Israel has a right to exist and they have the right to defend itself against any threat that raises against them. To my knowledge, they are not in the process of bombing refugee camps during this last campaign. I do know they have done that in the past, but it was for the specific reason that terrorists were using those refugee camps as staging areas and then trying to cry foul when they were bombed.

What would you have Israel do, capitulate to every demand and whim of the rest of the Arab world? Don't hold your breath, because that isn't going to happen and neither should it happen.

Re: Hamas and Israel--The irony of peace

LD Jackson — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:27:47 -0000

What would you have Israel do, capitulate to every demand and whim of the rest of the Arab world? Don't hold your breath, because that isn't going to happen and neither should it happen.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:49:45 -0000

I just thought it to be the ultimate irony that we would be told that we need to conserve gasoline and start carpooling to have fewer vehicles on the roads. When we did what they wanted us to do, then they come back and say the gasoline tax has to go up because we aren&#039t driving enough. Go figure that one out.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 18:50:51 -0000

Mike,

Admittedly, the system we have is not a perfect one and something should very well be done to correct it. However, as I mentioned earlier, I thought it very ironic that we would be facing a fuel tax increase because we have tried to conserve fuel.

As for alternative energy, I agree that we need to be investing in it, but I am not sure what the fuel tax increase has to do with that.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 20:49:45 -0000

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:50:51 -0000

Mike,
Admittedly, the system we have is not a perfect one and something should very well be done to correct it. However, as I mentioned earlier, I thought it very ironic that we would be facing a fuel tax increase because we have tried to conserve fuel.

As for alternative energy, I agree that we need to be investing in it, but I am not sure what the fuel tax increase has to do with that.

Re: Muslims removed from airplane on New Year's Day

LD Jackson — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:09:23 -0000

You are right, Ken. There is no way something like this makes us any safer and it certainly doesn&#039t help our relations with Muslims.

Re: Muslims removed from airplane on New Year's Day

LD Jackson — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 09:09:23 -0000

You are right, Ken. There is no way something like this makes us any safer and it certainly doesn't help our relations with Muslims.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:47:52 -0000

Mike,

There is one thing I really don&#039t care for in your assessment of the situation. You seem to be convinced that gasoline and diesel fuel need to be at a high enough cost to force us to look at other alternative fuels. No offense, but that sounds like something Barack Obama has said more than once. I do not agree that the best way to force us to look at alternative energy is to make gasoline, diesel, and other sources of energy so expensive that we have no choice but to look elsewhere. That is simply the wrong approach.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:06:34 -0000

Mike,

The problem is that once these kinds of taxes are enacted, they never seem to go away. It just adds one more burden to the American taxpayer and we still do not see anything useful from the money. Part of that stems from the way the money is allocated by the federal government. The money doesn&#039t seem to be given back to the states on a needed basis, but rather on a "scratch my back and I&#039ll scratch your&#039s" basis. I honestly believe that is one of the simple fixes that Ron alluded to. If that money was allocated in the proper manner, it would make a difference in our roads. There seems to be no accountability in Washington, but that probably comes as no surprise to you or to me.

I agree that something needs to be done about our infrastructure and I have no problem paying taxes to help fund that. It just seems to me that it is a sad situation when we are told to drive less and conserve fuel and then to raise our taxes because we are doing what was suggested.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 12:47:52 -0000

Mike,
There is one thing I really don't care for in your assessment of the situation. You seem to be convinced that gasoline and diesel fuel need to be at a high enough cost to force us to look at other alternative fuels. No offense, but that sounds like something Barack Obama has said more than once. I do not agree that the best way to force us to look at alternative energy is to make gasoline, diesel, and other sources of energy so expensive that we have no choice but to look elsewhere. That is simply the wrong approach.

Re: Israeli forces enter Gaza

LD Jackson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 15:36:22 -0000

In one respect, I agree. Introducing tanks and ground forces may not be in the best interest of Israel. However, I see their point. Time after time, they have launched air strikes, in attempt to stop the rocket attacks and time after time, they have capitulated to international pressure and stopped before Hamas was completely defeated. It is well known that a ceasefire benefits Hamas only and allows them to start stockpiling more rockets, in preparation for when they choose to break the ceasefire. The casualty rate is unfortunate, but I believe the Israelis have had enough of playing around with this group of terrorists and have decided to end this, once and for all. I must say, I can&#039t blame them for it; they have certainly suffered more than their fair share of attacks.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:06:34 -0000

Mike,
The problem is that once these kinds of taxes are enacted, they never seem to go away. It just adds one more burden to the American taxpayer and we still do not see anything useful from the money. Part of that stems from the way the money is allocated by the federal government. The money doesn't seem to be given back to the states on a needed basis, but rather on a "scratch my back and I'll scratch your's" basis. I honestly believe that is one of the simple fixes that Ron alluded to. If that money was allocated in the proper manner, it would make a difference in our roads. There seems to be no accountability in Washington, but that probably comes as no surprise to you or to me.

Re: Gasoline tax increase recommended

LD Jackson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 19:52:15 -0000

Just to make it clear, I don&#039t have a problem with paying taxes. I realize that is a necessary evil. However, what I do have a problem with is the cavalier attitude of our government that seems to believe that raising our taxes is always the easiest and best solution to any financial shortfall it may encounter.

Re: Israeli forces enter Gaza

LD Jackson — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:36:22 -0000

In one respect, I agree. Introducing tanks and ground forces may not be in the best interest of Israel. However, I see their point. Time after time, they have launched air strikes, in attempt to stop the rocket attacks and time after time, they have capitulated to international pressure and stopped before Hamas was completely defeated. It is well known that a ceasefire benefits Hamas only and allows them to start stockpiling more rockets, in preparation for when they choose to break the ceasefire. The casualty rate is unfortunate, but I believe the Israelis have had enough of playing around with this group of terrorists and have decided to end this, once and for all. I must say, I can't blame them for it; they have certainly suffered more than their fair share of attacks.