Congress may actually pass an economic stimulus bill this week, which is good news for the short-term needs of the country. There is no question the economy is tottering, and could easily tip over from recession to depression, so a bill that focuses on saving jobs and creating jobs is desperately needed. The good news is that the bill will definitely help achieve some of those aims. The bad news is that it will lay a crushing debt burden on taxpayers for the future, which can only be addressed if government becomes far more efficient in the use of tax dollars than it has in the past. That could very well force, down the road, what many of us have wanted for years, a smaller, more efficient government. But somehow, that doesn't seem likely. Because Congress hasn't figured out that the model for government is, and should be, changing. And the best example is the stimulus package. Despite billions of dollars in cuts, it still contains way too much pork. And some of the cuts (to make way for that pork) seem to make no sense, such as dropping $40 billion to help keep schools from having to fire teachers. That's counter-productive. The bill is supposed to save or create jobs, not leave them threatened. Both sides of the aisle bear the blame. The Democratic leadership rolled over on way too many pet projects among its members, losing sight of the long-term goal of the bill. And Republicans kept insisting on sticking to the same failed policies of the past, and playing the same old games where personal and party political power carried more weight than the needs of the nation. One GOP leader actually admitted his goal for the bill, and the amendments he introduced, were designed to divide the Democrats and make them look bad. So much for caring about the people of this country. Both parties should be ashamed. It is time for Congress to look up from its myopic and petty party power games, and its proclivity for pork, and look at the desperate state of the nation, focusing solely on programs that stand a good chance of meeting the goal of keeping people working. Making things work should be a bipartisan issue. This bill should be about America, not the Republican or Democratic parties. -- Kelly Everitt

Let's not become the enemy

Posted Thursday, September 16, 2010, at 9:36 AM

In the end, cooler heads prevailed.

The Koran-burning issue had gotten to be ridiculous -- overhyped to the point of absurdity by the national media. The famous 24/7 news cycle these days virtually guarantees that anything and everything will be used to fill the minutes and give talking heads a chance to scream at each other.

We're against any form of book burning. It is ultimately dangerous to the spirit of freedom of thought. And in this case, it was stupid as well.

No question it was going to inflame anti-American opinion in the Mideast -- at a time when we're desperately trying to convince the people there we're the good guys. It was the best recruiting tool the terrorists have had in ages and clearly could threaten American lives. Good job, Pastor Jones.

But bigotry and hate usually don't look at the consequences of their actions. In this case, you've got a guy with a gun laying on top of the Bible on his desk and admitting he's never read the Koran (he'd have been burning a number of the stories also contained in the Bible), and doing it all in the name of the Man of Peace. Hate in the name of Jesus. How hypocritical can you get.

When you start adopting the same tactics and rhetoric as the enemy, you've become the enemy. We need to show that we're different from them, not the same.

In the end, however, the world-wide impact of this controversy can be laid at the feet of our own national media and the shark-feeding frenzy of the 24/7 news cycle. It isn't necessary to cover every nut. It just encourages them.

In the end, cooler heads prevailed -- but most of the damage already had been done.

Comments

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Just wanting to burn the Koran is about the same as burning it. Somewhere it says if you sin in your mind you have already committed the sin. I think we should all step back a little and let things cool off. Burning the Koran won't solve any problems, it will only make things worse.

-- Posted by supergramps on Wed, Sep 15, 2010, at 12:56 PM
Dump on the backwoods American minister who didn't even burn anything(his gun is due to DEATH THREATS by those lovers of "tolerance on the left& in mosques)but obsreve utter silence about the islams in islamland who burn US flags & threaten the lives of US servicemen who are there to help izlams create a DECENT society.You say NOTHING about THEM(who your title infers ARE the ENEMY). Checkout the FBI monitioring US mosques for RADIOACTIVITY, the FBI sueing to CLOSE USA mosques for TERROR connections. The Swiss who outlawed izlam minerat building ,minarets a Turkish official described as "the barracks" of Islam's advance. Fort Hood,honor killings, sharia law, 9/11, attempted airline bombings, documented HATE being taught in Saudi funded USA islam schools---& all you have to say is opposition to our massive izlam immigration is the result of "ignorance & bigotry". You are the ignorant & bigoted ones--the left who can't see the forest for the trees. Add to that armed foriegners running wild 3 counties deep in Arizona & you get the frustration that is leading Americans to independant action---from koran burning THREATS(only threats) to the tea Party. The most ignorant of Americans are those on the LEFT who's charges of ignorance & racism only show theirs' ----- and are satisfied with killing that BASIC American right of public discussion. They are the engines of the "Closing of the American Mind"(see book by that title). Dark Age deepens.

-- Posted by apetoid on Wed, Sep 15, 2010, at 4:01 PM
as a minority in this country,who has fought for it,pays taxes for it etc where would you people like for me to go????????? you should back up and take a hard look at your comments because they are bigoted to the core... the fact that they are mostly directed at muslims, mean nothing... the prevailing attitude says when is it my turn.....politically correct ,sellouts etc......public discussion ........how do you discusse when you have already made your stand.....with the statments denigrating anyone who might be on the left........WE burn flags and threaten our own soldiers......how fast we forget......i for one will never forget....i will not forget hipocrites who patted me on the back and used the N WORD when i wasnt around.....dont tell me how great you are righty........thats a lie and if you were honest you would own up to it.....fort hood ........the lack of command integrity period.....the guy should have been courts martialed long before he acted......a commander to scared to do what he was sopposed to do as a commander.......because the guy was and officer......and enlisted would have been discharged period.......we are to busy chasing gays...... what a joke.......i for one am getting sick of the remarks directed at this administration as if the right has all the answer.....the att gen....does his job as directed by our constitution....ck it out.... his job doesnt say as the right thinks is right.....or for that matter anyone else.......2 wars and you still dont want to take responsibilty for them you think they are a good thing........the only thing they help is some people making money at our childrens exspense... as long as it poor peoples kids who are dieing who cares ........you guys need to.....consider everything....and try and see things in different lights......i really try to do that.....and i do see your comments as bigoted,and it doesnt make me feel good......im not going back to "the good old days" i will die first.....my parents and family suffered enough it will not happen again....i think the RIGHT needs to remember that and im not alone in that thought......your comments make me feel as though that is and underlying aim in your game plan.......i live the theme of national dishonesty everyday ...... and yes i will defend my freedom at any cost....dont tread on me.....ask any minority who has worn the uniform

-- Posted by lamont on Fri, Sep 17, 2010, at 6:21 PM
Lamont buddy, thanks for serving. Really. But how is noting the potential dangers & questions raised by the FBI closing mosques,etc(see my above post) "bigotry"? How so? I only noted facts. Troubling ones. Hindus, Buddhists ,Kawnazas, etc present NO such facts. NOoo problem with them,at all. I'm just trying to look out for America same as you did. That's all.

-- Posted by apetoid on Sat, Sep 18, 2010, at 12:23 AM
That pastor, or any other American, like it or not, has the right to burn a koran if they desire. Good idea? No, but free speech isn't always about what you like or think acceptable. What angers me more than this pastor is the fact that our press is carrying this story to the hilt, thereby running a smokescreen for the Obama administration and his failed policies. This is what we should all be focused on.....not some idiot burning a koran.

-- Posted by Mtn.Homer on Sat, Sep 18, 2010, at 8:21 AM
you missed the point........your comments about the left as if you and the right have all the answers..........the FBI and the ATTY GEN are doing there job .......wethere monitoring or closing ,or acting based on intellegence......... what goes on in a muslim country under a theocratic regime could be wrong according to us and have all the human rights violations in the world, but that is there...... country.......until the people within in it rise up for change they can do as they please......... your comment a decent society.........did they ask for us ?.....who are we to judge.......why do we think america has it right and every one else has it wrong ?.....maybe you ought to consider those things.........for me if it works for them so be it.......that has been there way for thousands of years......the comment ......the most ignorant people on the left......i would suggest that you need to look at your preacher before you make that comment.......you cant be a man of christianity and not respect others......thats a contradiction of your faith....and he is the same kind of zealot as the islamic extremist.........you are condeming and entire peoples based on the actions of a few......and remember that all the 9/11 particpants got here legally...... 3 countys in AZ there is nothing going on that has not been for decades......only at a lower intensity.......now with that said.....ask your self why did this start to happen.......the demand for drugs by american citezens.......thats how.... so how do we stop it .......how about changing the demand,how about securing the borders with the help of a big mouth govenor who has done nothing except talk... she had a national guard... deploy it......do your job the right way......why did we, right here have a person who kills a whole family here 20 yrs illegaly and had been aressted for felony dui before.. how does that happen???????? the left. i dont think so this is idaho.......you did not like being called a bigot when the aryan nations was located here and active( they still are) i bet you said im not one of them.....but you were grouped with them.......tell me whats the difference with your comments on muslims,and lefties etc.......thats my point.......and dont thank me for my service its to late i could have used that 40 yrs ago when it counted and even then the right didnt mean it.......just a means to and end.......i am not blind and this so called movement is a precursor back to a segregated society.........and you will say no .......why ?.....you only see it your way.....i will continue to to lean left of center or right of center as the issues come up......i will never lean so far to one side or the other that my understanding becomes blind .....you do as you please this is america........but you will not go unchallenged with comments that are totally one sided......what is it you fear from other people......i dont fear them.......knowledge always prevails.......

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Sep 18, 2010, at 9:08 AM
Bazook you can't convince me color is no longer an issue here in the states. If I remember correctly a month after Obama was voted into office he was already being critiqued by who knows who and by you and kim on her blog. He never had time to even get the feel of the White House before people were bashing him all over the internet and the news including you and Kim who were also blasting away on him.....

I think you can only see things your way and no other way.....

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Sat, Sep 18, 2010, at 10:51 AM
;owest taxe rate since 1950.....were is the credit?.........enforcing constituion......who does what on the border........enforce law as written miranda........you see the problem is partially that you want the constitution enforced selectively.......you know it and i know it palin is a carpetbagger......the economy was in the toilet before obama......how come you dont talk about that......all he did was stabilize it so that we could get back to making it right......what do you think would have happened if it was left to fix itself......again .....wall st....enron.....arthur anderson......conservative bastions of wealth that was selling the COUNTRY.......and dont tell me about it aint about your color when i hear WE WANT OUR COUNTRY BACK........WHOS THAT REFER TO???????? AND BACK TO THE GOOD OLD DAYS.........I KNOW CODE WORDS THE US GOVERNMENT TAUGHT ME WELL..........i graduated from a school dedicated to one thing......fighting discrimination.......i spent a long time in the classroom teaching the subject among other things........the war cry is not throw them all out ........again you hear what you want.......allan keys is a fool on a fools errand............he is non threatening....to put it nicely.......back door deals and i guess i should assume that the right has never made one......is that what your saying....... i want to hear that one.......and no there not using the n word for the most part.......they use other racial terms and cartoons,they attack the wife and children,beck,limbaugh,gingrich perpetuate the verbage that implies a race war what does it take for you to see what is going on.........and not one righty says stop not one.......you know why ?????????? THERE TO BUSY COMMITTING ADULTRY AND THEN TELLING US HOW THE ARE SO VIRTOUS THEY ARE.........come on lets talk about what is really going on......dont tell me about posters when people had to be told dont bring them WHY ?????? when you set out to marginalize your leader from day one what would you call that???and you want to alibi it and im sapposed to say its ok......it is not and i didnt see the same issues being raised with BUSH.....,AND PALIN EXECUTIVE ABILITY YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME........she quit yeah she quit and she like a number of people started the marginalizjng.....with the birth issue which shouldnt have been and issue at all......so dont tell me what i see.......is healthcare that bad or you dont see the people dying for no reason ......i guess thats ok with you .......the only industralized nation in the world with out HEALTHCARE FOR ALL......goes back to what i said use people(slave) untill you cant anymore and then discard them........you dont see any of it I SAID IT BEFORE ITS NOT HAPPENING TO YOU........ HITLER STARTED WITH THE PEOPLE WHO COULD LEAST DEFEND THEMSELFS AND WORK HIS WAY TO THE JEWS......and the words that come out of the rights mouths mirror those words ........have you heard newt and beck lately.....oh and palin,,,,,,hannity is in a world all his own and i should feel ok?......i dont think so...... WHEN YOU TELL ME THIS IS 2010 AND RACE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT THATS THATS A CROCK.........how about the fact that minority uneployment is double our majority group counterpart......and my son with a masters will only make 1,500.00 more dollars a year than a white with the same undergraduate degree what do you call that in 2010.......so dont tell me what you care about you have shown me and continue to do so....in 2010......what do you say when there are people in this town who quit there jobs rather than work for a black,what say you is that part of your program also?????? you are blind because its not happening to you......you dont see whats happening in this politcal game because you dont want to......how can a person work in the toxic atmospeher that you created from day one but you would say thats fair........i would say set up to fail .........and wether you get it right or not it will still be wrong.........have you ever been there?????????????????try to get in touch with that

-- Posted by lamont on Sat, Sep 18, 2010, at 11:03 PM
i do watch those shows i watch them all .....and yes they have made racial comments especially BECK......i never said the left was clean i said the right should not be telling people how to live a virtous life when they dont.......the birth isssue should not have been and issue......because you are vetted as a congressman and a senator.....and as soon as you win a political nominatian for a job in the federal government.....so that was garbage and still is........remember your background ck just to work on airplanes ( secret or better ) AGAIN YOU MISSED THE POINT........your talking about were taxes are going,,,,,,, were are they now........i will not do this again i did it once with you not again think as you want.......the health care thing is simple they have the same plan you and i have because they qualify the same......i dont like that they only have to serve one term to get it.......holler about that?????PULL THE CIA TEETH ........LETS SEE THERE SOPPOSED TO OPERATE OVERSEAS......RIGHT??????? AND THEY ARE STILL GOVERNED BY OUR LAWS .....RIGHT??????? what is it you want them to do they are not already doing?????whats changed ???????? and since when?????AZ YOUR SHERIFF HAS CHARGES Levied AGAINST HIM THAT SAYS HE HAS USED HIS JOB TO SINGLE OUT MINORITYS . now he is being investigated so what?????? if he is not... whats the beef.......you seem to think that you flount the law its ok as long as you are not affected ....thats a problem........john edwards is not and elected offical.....and the only ones im talking about are those in office.......NOW.....is polosi plane a military jet?????????? if it is you cannot serve alcohol on it.......i forgot to tell you that before the law was changed years ago.........the speaker like every speaker has perks that no one else has goes with the job so its not new.......thats why passed speaker(newt) hasnt critized.....they dont want the perk to go away......oh and you need to look at mc cains background........nobody wants to because he was a pow that man is so dishonarable its a joke.....so lets see how much you nknow about how the military works ck him out.......stop the party line on palin ......she is a carpetbagger ........i will admit the con is pretty good for the people who want her brand of democracy........ex.... he divorced my sister i want him fired.......and because the chief wouldnt she went after him .......he went public and she quit....she quit......and goes on a speaking tour give me a break......thats what you want?????????? you deserve better.....healtcare a lot of americans lie everyday to get into a canadian healthcare centers. did you know that????????? we are talking about basic care not specialized care......there is a difference......we are the best specialist......thats is not the problem the problem is every day care........the cold the cut...the stomach ache....the things that are the warning signs of bigger things that could be prevented that wind up costing because they were not treated peviously.......and thats what cost you and me the community etc.....illegals should get care and deported.....i have always said that so whats your point ??????TAXES......question.....how are we sopposed to pay for the 2 wars BUSH set us in???????? you know he borrowed the money to go to war and never payed for any of it.......so .....whats your suggestion there.......plus we have to rearm,repair,rebuild etc.....how do we pay for that??????? would it have been better if obama had put a freeze on everything ???????? would that have satisfied you ????? for me i think thats what he should have done.....i feel the pinch.....my escrow went up....house value went down.....taxes on house went up am i going to fight it ????? you bet will i win maybe not but i will do something about it......and thats not this presidents fault......so why do people put it on his shoulders ???????hes just trying to fix it and the right doesnt want to give him that chance.....why??????? they would rather you and i ( the slaves ) starve first as long as they are making money,,,,,,,the trickle down theory doesnt work and even the very conservative economist say so.......there has got to be a way and it will take a combination of both schools of thought to fix this......scapgoating minoritys is not the way.......and if it keeps happening people are going to die......on both sides of the issue...oh i forgot .....the iraqes were sopposed to pay us from there oil revenues......remember......the last adminstration said that.....or was it the one before......so wheres the money.........funny we dont hear about that i wonder why??????? you got any insight you want to share..........

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, Sep 19, 2010, at 10:15 AM
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100919/ts_nm/us_usa_elections_obama

Just what is he trying to say.

-- Posted by Eagle_eye on Sun, Sep 19, 2010, at 1:15 PM
repair,rearm,rebuild our armed forces.....2 wars remember..........yes people in the states on the canadian border....its been going on for years......just thought id mention it.....the mmedical plan the congress has is basically the same as the military.....thats how they get to use our hospitals......which we cant after 65 remeber that.....smile......i dont have a problem with a freeze.......should have been done years ago.......what arsenal are you talking about? are we back to nukes again? and your solution is what / NUKE THE CIVILIAN POPULATION TO GET TO TERRORIST WHO ARE NOT EVEN 1% of the population.....we just like the other countrys of the world have just about come to and end to the exspence for this.......i said it before turn special forces loose and give them all the support they need and let them at them.......NUKES ARE OUT OF THE QUESTION......AFTER THE FIRST ONE EVERY COUNTRY IN THE WORLD WOULD ATTAIN THOSE WEAPONS AND THEN WHAT??????????? i dont think that is what is neede in this world DO YOU????????I SAID A NATIONAL id card bis needed and should be implmented.......to many right and left say NO......ON HEALTHCARE I MEAN EMERGENCY CARE not long term care........pleases read what i say.....green card violations your gone no problem.......im not arguing that.......i said people who stop people for no other reason than they are who they are.....thats profiling dont make it something its not....and assumption of guilt without fact.....based on gender, color. religion etc.....there was a story on fox news tonight about and american citezen being deported because they said his papers were false......took 3 months to straighten out and he lost his job.....while in mexico......not his country.....they admitted about 1 percent of deportees are american citezens.....what kind of garbage is that.......what if that guy was one of ours who had just come back???????? that is what i am talking about.........we have americans who are muslims and we have congressman who say they should not be allowed in the military......you see zook my people heard the same crape thats is why i question were these people in 2010 are comming from?????????our nation was built on religious freedom and the constutionalist cant use it one way when they want and another as they see fit......thats why i am fit to be tied we are not sopposed to be at each other like this........and the the people on the left and the right who fan these flames will stand back and count there money....and zook i listen to them all......you want to win the war you listen to your enemy....from hannity to olbermann..... i guess the term RAGHEAD is a term of ENDEARMENT....that is the kind of stuff im talking about..........so what are you calling ME......am i offended you bet.... am i defending terrorist heck NO..........i see that term as refering to MUSLIMS perod.......correct me if im wrong.........stop and ck it out catch your breath and think about it HARD.......oh stimulus........the money went to the states... how they used it was pretty much up to them .........and the stimulus started with BUSH in NOV 2008.....they bailed out wall st......but who cares.... the question is did it stop the country from becoming financialy insolvent.... I hate to say it.... but i think it did......problem i have is that it shouldnt have taken that much........i would not have let one cent go to a bonus not one cent......but its done..... see ya

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, Sep 19, 2010, at 8:06 PM
zook you hate this administration,the democrates ,and liberals so much that it doesnt matter what they do......even if it was right it would be wrong for you......thats a shame.......also you trying to equate being profiled for a hot rod to what i live my life with was so offensive that im still dealing with it........i dont think my conversation or a different incite makes a hill of beans to you .....you dont see anything a different way just the way you see it.....i worked for people like you at times in my carrer it was not a good thing for me ever...........i didnt fish,hunt ,or chew tabaco.so you know were that put me ........ill see ya

-- Posted by lamont on Wed, Sep 22, 2010, at 12:58 PM
lamont

Thanks for giving it your all bazook cannot and will not except change. After reading everything he has said over a year and a half I came to the conclusion that his beliefs or idea's and opinion's will never change.

I gave up after his thoughts about Gays in the Military.

-- Posted by MsMarylin on Wed, Sep 22, 2010, at 3:49 PM
marlyn......i didnt want change just a need to know that there are 2 sides to the story.....and acknowldgment.....of understanding.....it is hard for me after all that i have done to effect positive thoughts in people to still see and feel the negative in anyone or anything just to be negative.....that is a killer.......i have to be positive.....i hope this makes sense....i am really bothered.......so thanks marlyn i needed that..........

-- Posted by lamont on Wed, Sep 22, 2010, at 9:15 PM
the list is long..... to bad you can only post that as you see it affects you ......i have to laugh we need a couple of hundred thousand ww2 era weapons..... what we need is some common sense......well i never fought for a hammer and sickle......and to be equated with one is enough said.........question your own......dont question mine......long before you got there and long after you were gone ......and my history is just fine......i tend to read both sides......see ya

-- Posted by lamont on Sun, Sep 26, 2010, at 10:28 PM

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