GOP "debate"

[regexcellent]

The main disappointments with Bush were Medicare Part D and McCain-Feingold but I doubt any Democrat would have been better about it

[Alexander's Horse]

My main disappointment with Bush was "the long war", which I am still very much part of and I'm getting too old for it.

[regexcellent]

Wouldn't that be more John Howard's fault for you?

[Alexander's Horse]

Nah I blame the bad guys - I don't blame our leaders.

9/11 was as career defining as the Cold War before it.

I hope you all realise we are still in the long war, so good leaders matter.

[grumbler]

In the US there are thousands of examples of "direct democracy" at the state and local level. By and large it is innocuous, but, where it isn't, it is generally pernicious. Direct democracy is all about the majority imposing its will on the minority. When the differences are merely philisophical, that's terrific - that's what is supposed to happen. But when the differences are based on "race" or SES or sexuality and the majority simply wishes to impose its gains at the expense of the minority, we get California's referenda. Not even Californians like what happens then.

[Az]

I have got to say that it completely baffles me that someone that call themselves progressive might be supporting Hillary Clinton over Bernie Frank.

[Bereta_Eder]

I don't know over there in Europe, but over here, there was all sorts of hype when Obama got elected, but US image kind of quickly got back to (almost) bush-era by the first year of his presidency.

Well I remember bush and obama.
Bush seemed to be dumb, war - crazy and dangerous. A liability in world politics.

Obama... made sense. The health care had a positive echo and the way he speaks... makes sense I guess.
US under bush seemed war crazy and primitive, under Obama it seems... reasonable.
Right now, I guess US/Greek relations are something like a honey moon because of the eurozone situation.
They basically echoed 70% of what the greek side was saying and seemed to actually put their money where their mouth was. Even though their role was inferior to France's.

[kentonio]

I have got to say that it completely baffles me that someone that call themselves progressive might be supporting Hillary Clinton over Bernie Frank.

Since when did Bernie Frank start running?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Man that'd be great if he did. Would definitely add plenty of humor to the proceedings (Frank is very funny).

[pchang]

Barney Frank????

[Dinner]

I have got to say that it completely baffles me that someone that call themselves progressive might be supporting Hillary Clinton over Bernie Frank.

Most of them don't and the few who do just don't think Bernie Sanders can go all the way to the finish line. It would be funny though, after eight years of trying to pretend a tepid moderate like Obama is a socialist, if an actual self declared socialist won.

That he is also Jewish should also piss off the right wing Christian theocrates to no end and I would love to see that.