The Default Setting to all this stuff the right wing burdens the political vapors with has to be spoken to as an insult. Someone has to speak up for the dignity of the generation. This is demeaning and don't think for one minute there aren't parents or grandparents ready to plug into this mess and call their young people lazy and out of touch with a good work ethic. 

This opens with something about the young lady's personal budget. The intent is to intimidate. This generation doesn't need that, they need work they are educated to do. Democrats and Independents should not keep them waiting.

This generation believed they lived in the USA, a country with opportunity. They are waiting for their American Dream and the Republicans never bothered to find the path before them that would guarantee it. These young people are the future of our country; do we want them believing they spent all their time as fools to the University Education Money Machine? 

Everyone of them has promise and they need to be happy within their lives.

"Well when I was a girl, life was hard, but we rose to greet everyday anyway."

That doesn't wash anymore. We promised our children they could grow into great people and have a life full of their ambitions and desires. This is 2014, the country is not going back to the coal mines anymore.

This is condescending. It is again an insult to the young adults in the USA. Just like the Uncle Sam health care slam.

Young people in the USA know their own lives. They not only know their own lives, they can organize to bring attention to them. This is insulting. It pretends young women are shallow and all about themselves. This also sets aside the fact that many young couples don't have a living wage and can relate to an expensive wedding. The biggest expense young couples have today are their college loans, the lack of opportunity in the jobs they are educated to rise to and balancing their desire for a family against their minimum wage incomes.

This generation has been abandoned by 40 years of Republican policy. They came out of their higher education opportunity to nothing. There were no opportunities for them. That is an entire generation ignored by government, except, if they want to go into the military. Does anyone actually think these young people are this shallow? I don't.

This ad is simply something to stir up the base, if there such a thing as a young Republican base.

This is an excellent opportunity for all the Chinese people.

1. Beijing knows the city of Hong Kong has a specific understanding to what they are looking for in leadership. At the same time Hong Kong is a very important city, both in it's sophistication and it's commerce.
2. Beijing does not want to have adverse outcomes for the people as can occur when government changes in principle as well as persons. China has regard for all it's people and wants to dialogue with the people of Hong Kong. I think this is a magnificent opportunity for existing government to understand the wishes of the people.
3. China has a magnificent history. Recent history is even more gratifying as the people are regarded with investments of companies from around the world. The Chinese have given pause to the nations other than themselves when it comes to economics. The West is a strong partner and can and has offered advice to the development of the Middle Class. The Western nations of people disagree with some of the quality of life in China. The Chinese people and The West are coming closer and closer to being two great nations that have accepted the economics of work and financial advancement. This is a good thing. It is ultimately called peace. 
4. The people of Hong Kong have the burden of bringing together the Chinese government and the wishes of the Chinese people. It is a heavy burden. Beijing understands what it is like to have so many people to look after and continue to move the country forward.
5. With this new willingness "Old World China" and the "Promising Future of the New World China" can begin a dialogue that will transcend confrontation and violence. I am not sure what the platform looks like that Beijing has in mind, but, it seems to me there can be a council that meets with the existing government to discuss how Hong Kong needs and wants to change.
6. China governs in five year plans that have proven to be beneficial to the people of China. I can imagine a council which brings forward an agenda of change for the Hong Kong government as well as Beijing to discuss and incorporate into the five year plan. The people of Hong Kong are doing great things for their country and people. I cannot imagine either the Hong Kong government or the government of China would close off dialogue to advance the future of the country.
7. I wish them all well. The world awaits the open dialogue and the development of the "China to Be," from the China that is.
8. October 2, 2014
9. By Sarah Fowler and Jasmine Coleman
10. 17:01: 
    Welcome to our live coverage (click here) of the continuing protests in Hong Kong. In the last few minutes, the territory's Chief Executive, CY Leung, has given a news conference and refused to step down, despite a midnight (17:00 BST) deadline set by pro-democracy protesters.
11. 17:01: 
    Mr Leung said he would open talks with protest leaders to discuss the constitutional development of the territory.
12. 17:02: 
    But he warned protesters amassed outside two key government buildings against stepping over police lines, saying this would have "very serious consequences".
13. 17:08: 
    "If anyone wants to cross over police lines, police will continue to exercise their maximum tolerance," Mr Leung told the news conference....

Ya gotta love the guy. He knows his people sort of.

September 30, 2014
By Rebecca Nelson

Secessionists (click here) across the world were inspired by Scotland's energetic attempt at independence from the United Kingdom earlier this month. Ron Paul, as it turns out, joined them.

In an essay on his eponymous institution's website Sunday, the former U.S. congressman from Texas wrote that any supporters of freedom should cheer secessionism because it allows for smaller government—a constant mantra for the libertarian and perennial presidential candidate, who didn't previously realize there were more than a handful of secessionist groups in the United States....

Libertarians are hard core autonomous self-sufficiency. There is social program in the world they believe in. So, while secession is unconstitutional: we were already through this about 150 years ago; the 'idea' of complete autonomy does play among the Ron Paul Libertarians. Most aren't that extreme, do love the country and appreciate the military this country has assembled. But, there lives in every Libertarian an anarchist. So, this doesn't surprise me. 

Oh, there is also that Iowa scandal, too. This is a way of testing the LOYALISTS and whether or not they still hear the call of Ron Paul in the wild.

This isn't even an issue to debate.

October 2, 2014

The Turkish parliament (click here) is debating a motion to allow its military to enter Iraq and Syria and foreign troops to use its territory for the operation.

Turkey had been unwilling to fight Islamic State (IS) militants because they were holding 46 Turkish hostages but they were released last month.

Parliament is expected to back the motion.

However Turkey is wary of retaliation by IS and protesters demonstrated outside parliament as the debate began.

The government in Ankara also fears helping the Kurds who are fighting the militants.

Turkey has a porous and vulnerable border with Syria, more than 900km (560 miles) long....

It was always possible for the Syrian civil war to spill over into Turkey. If it has and the government believes troops are necessary to return border security, then it is a matter for NATO. End of discussion.

Turkey doesn't want it's land turned into a war zone and that is what would happen should they declare war that brings them into Syria to stop any infiltration of the country. Turkey would become a staging ground for NATO and the people would suffer changes in their economic focus. Forget tourism because there will be war. 

That is what Turkey has to decide. Is the spill over from Syria and Iraq for that matter enough to move Turkey to commit to troops and war. It is a huge decision and best made by the Turkish government. But, once Turkey commits, if it commits, the picture expands with involvement of NATO. That is a given. That is somewhat the very essence Turkey wants to avoid.

There are social issues that have been abandoned since 2008.

Some of those social programs are drug rehabilitation. They aren't programs that victimize a citizen and abandon them, they are program to improve quality of life.

Right wing politics addresses quality of life differently than most of the country. They address quality of life in dollar signs and a number of zeroes. The rest of the country recognizes certain problems that are social issues and the responsibility of government to move people out of poverty, crime and drug addiction.

Sometimes the greatest hurdle to a person seeking to move into the Middle Class is more than simply the building blocks of capitalism and work. A drug addicted person might be working a job that would qualify as the working poor, but, if they were able to nudge a bad habit, even cigarette smoking out of their lives their upward movement would be assured to them.

A carton of cigarettes depending on the state can cost upwards of $75.00 for ten packs. (click here) Generic can begin at $55.00. Depending on the habit that is anywhere from 3 cartons a month to 9 cartons per month. That is a lot of money, buy simply ending the smoking habit it puts hundreds of dollars back in the pocket of a consumer and provides for better upward movement to the Middle Class.

The social issues of the political right wing is about limiting behaviors that would normally contribute to a person being able to move into the Middle Class. Contraception for women provides a means to limit child bearing and therefore the monies spent to support children either single or married. That cuts the ability of the poor and working poor to change their circumstances.

Education has always been a huge issue for Democrats and Independents. Education is another rung on the ladder of movement upwards. Limiting the interest rate on educational loans is vitally important when one makes it through their program and begins work. The higher the interest rate they have to pay on their loans prohibits the purchase of a home in many instances.

Needle programs simply save lives. It also inhibits the spread of HIV and other blood borne diseases. It is simply the right thing to do. It provides an opportunity for social workers and/or health care professionals to interface with the members of our society that are addicted to substances. 

These programs are all important and require a commitment from legislators to make them happen through law and funding. In a year like 2008 came to be there is little tolerance for such social programs simply because the finances at the dinner table and with the government treasures are very different. But, when the country is recovering at a brisk pace as it has this year, that is the time for a country to recapture programs that remove poverty, addiction and quality education.

To some extent this year should be the year when social programs pursued by Democrats and Independents are revitalized and talked about with the electorate, but due to the difficult times of the country reaching back to the Iraq War we still haven't recovered the importance of strong social programs that provide for less poor and working poor. It is unfortunate the electorate seems to be grabbing onto faux priorities rather than tried and true remedies to improve the lives of our citizens.

Gun control bills are still be fought by the wealthy and the NRA.

Colorado is interesting because Governor Hickenlooper sincerely sifted through the tangled web of politics to deliver good legislation in Colorado. He signed bills that most gun owners approve of, especially the background checks. He also signed more than these three bills, there was the bill that placed armed police at schools for the purpose of protecting the children.

I think the gun rights people are too extreme when they make their arguments. They don't consider the facts, especially in Colorado. There have been some seriously heinous deaths in Colorado by gun violence. 

Some races in 2014 are also to reach a new consensus for the GOP. I think Colorado's governor race is a good example of that. The challenger beat three rivals in the primary. There are less Tea Party candidates running this season. The GOP has a lot riding on these elections just in proving that Tea Party wins have hurt the party and it's brand. If the GOP loses the races where they took the majority in the primaries it will cause Republicans to wonder about their future and the organizations surrounding the GOP. The stalwarts of the party are invested in good outcomes.

March 20, 2013

By Lynn Bartels and Kurtis Lee

Gov. John Hickenlooper (click here) signed three gun bills into law Wednesday, eight months to the day after a gunman opened fire in an Aurora movie theater and four months after he said it was time for Colorado to have a discussion about gun control.

The bill-signing took place in his office at the state Capitol, 22 miles east of where frontiersman Buffalo Bill Cody is buried, a tourist attraction in a state noted for its Wild West and independent background.

Later in the morning, as gun-rights advocates and victims' families looked on, Hickenlooper held a news conference in the west foyer to discuss measures he believed can save lives.

One bill limits ammunition magazines to 15 rounds, another requires universal background checks, and the third charges gun customers for the cost of the checks.

Colorado now joins New York as the first states to pass stricter gun laws after the December shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., ignited the national debate over guns.

"This is a fairly significant set of bills that we signed today," Hickenlooper said, adding that none of the measures take anyone's guns away....

This is from the WHO.

Community engagement (click here) is key to successfully controlling outbreaks. Good outbreak control relies on applying a package of interventions, namely case management, surveillance and contact tracing, a good laboratory service, safe burials and social mobilisation.

Early supportive care with rehydration, symptomatic treatment improves survival. There is as yet no licensed treatment proven to neutralise the virus but a range of blood, immunological and drug therapies are under development.

One thing I said early on was that the 'condition' of the patient was vital to fight this disease. I stated the reason so many succumb to this virus is due to the fact they have poor health to begin with. No one should be proud of the fact Americans may fair better than Africans, but, it is a reasonable belief about the outcomes regarding this virus. 

There have been people that have survived in Africa. The difference might be more socio-economic than disease related. There should be some kind of record reflecting the success of the survivors and why they edged out over the progress of the disease.

In patients with poor health on admission to any hospital anywhere may need more than simply fluids, they may need intravenous nutrition as well. The idea is to maintain and/or improve the wellness of the person while the disease progresses and ultimately end due to acquired immunity in the body's fight against the virus.

There can also be secondary bacterial and/or viral infections that occur when a human body depletes it's 'wellness reserves." That also has to be treated until the virus runs it's course. The survivors have a course that was successful, the question is what were the components to their survival.

Udall is having a credibility problem because of a drug arrest in the 1970s. There was marijuana and other drugs. The charges were reduced, but, that isn't really the problem. His record on drugs is hypocritical, especially for marijuana. 

He voted no to pass a bill (click here) that provides $429.1 million in funds for the District of Columbia and approves the District's $6.8 billion budget. Among other provisions, the bill prohibits the use of federal funds for needle exchange programs, prohibits implementing an approved ballot initiative to legalize the medicinal use of marijuana.

Udall is out of touch with the pulse of Colorado and the legalization of marijuana. The approach to drug addiction is more important than control of any illegal aspect.

Udall and other Democrats struggling in their approval rating as well as the electoral polls need to talk policy and the future. The Democrats need to make the point that policy is important. 

It is my opinion that when personal attacks are allowed to dominate the election it is dangerous to the electorate. Policy needs to dominate the discussion for elections and the moral content within that discussion. Personal attacks are important when it is deceptive regarding policy and misleading the public to the outcomes of their hopes for the country after the election.

Social issues need to be separated from policy. Social issues, as with the definition of marriage is primarily a state policy issue and not federal. Many social issues belong in state races, but, really do translate poorly on the federal level. The example of Same Sex Marriage requires an amendment to the Constitution because the federal level is completely dysfunctional due to a segment of the legislature that promotes 'personality' as important.

If Same Sex Marriage, which requires a federal bill to the states ratification, were important the federal election might look different.

I think the states seeing election polls results changing are the undecideds and independent voters weighing in. The candidates need to understand the issues most important to that segment of the electorate.

I had heard about this, but, didn't think it was working

September 25, 2014

By Amanda Albright

RALEIGH — Hundreds of North Carolinians (click here) – and one cat – have received incorrect voter registration information, according to the N.C. State Board of Elections.

The information – an “official application form” – was sent by Americans for Prosperity, a national conservative group with a state chapter based in Raleigh.

Since then, hundreds of people who received the forms have called and complained to the State Board of Elections, said Joshua Lawson, a public information officer for the board.

“It’s unclear where (Americans for Prosperity) got their list, but it’s caused a lot of confusion for people in the state,” Lawson said....

This is more than a mistake, it is negligence. American for Prosperity can pretend this wasn't intentional, but, it is fraudulent. I am trying to remember the part of any legal statute that would characterize this, but, this is not allowed to stand. When an organization, profit or non-profit, proves themselves in competent while accepting donations for it's work, they are in violation of the public trust.

So, let's say that Americans for Prosperity (Every time I hear that name I want to asks, "For whom's prosperity and where is the proof it is succeeding?") made many mistakes. That is just too bad. Mistakes when it comes to disorienting the public is election fraud, intentional or not. There are many people who have intended to so something good, but, failed and are serving time for it. Negligence of detail when the subject carries this much brevity isn't simply "Oops" and the case is closed. Not at all.

Now the issue is before the Election Board, well that takes money out of the peoples' tax dollars to investigate all this. There are deceptions that have real consequences to freedom and the democracy we build our faith in government. There are legal consequences to this and this ain't over.

I also heard the egregious laws passed by the NC Legislature were overturned at the 4th Circuit in Virginia. That is very good. BUT. It is interesting the ruling didn't take place in the State of NC Circuit Court, but, only when it reached the 4th Circuit. It is the way it is in NC. NC is corrupt to the depths of justice.

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/09/25/4181779_voters-mailed-incorrect-information.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy