Is political spending out of control?

$3 billion+ this election cycle

"A wide-open presidential race and a willingness by candidates, interest groups, unions and corporations to buy TV time will lead to historic spending for political and issue-advocacy advertising in the 2008 election cycle, an analysis shows.

The cost to try to influence the 2008 election could exceed $3 billion, according to TNS Media Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group, CNN's consultant on political television advertising.

This is nearly twice as much than what was spent in 2004 when political and issue-advocacy television advertising rang in at $1.7 billion. In 2006, $2.3 billion was spent on political and issue-advocacy TV commercials."

Is it worth it? Maybe an election lottery would be better? Wouldn't that really be a Democracy?

Rate political spending - Is it out of control?

Armenian Genocide versus Iraq - Dirty Politics?

Can America stay in Iraq without Turkey?

In the early 1900's, some of Turkey's mullahs essentially ordered the genocide of more than 1,000,000 Armenians. Today, more than 100 years later, there is a movement in Congress to ratify a resolution acknowledging this genocide.

What would such a resolution accomplish, aside from $100.00+ barrels of oil, for example?

Might the resolution also push the Turkish government to disallow the U.S. to utilize its airports, airspace and land to supply the effort in Iraq? Since 70 percent of U.S. supplies move through Turkey, can the U.S. continue the War in Iraq without Turkey's help?

Are Democrats using the Armenian Resolution to covertly force a U.S. withdrawal from Iraq? If so, is such a move a good idea, or dirty politics?

Marijuana and Old Fart Republicans?

Is medical marijuana really so dangersous?

Yet, old Republican farts, such as Mitt Romney - even Giuliani and McCain - refuse to give Doctors the right to prescribe a medicine that has scientifically been proven to have medicinal benefits because of the insane war on drugs that is hurting Americans more than it is hurting the drug trade.

Wake Up you OLD FARTs! It's time to think differently about hemp and marijuana, especially medical marijuana.

Read more about marijuana and old fart Republicans. Also, should medical marijuana be legalized?

Bush, Congress achieve record lows in polls

Do voters even care about voting anymore?

"Public approval for President Bush and Congress has sunk to the lowest levels ever recorded in The Associated Press-Ipsos poll," according to Breitbart.com.

So, will voters do something radically different in '08, such as Vote Against All Incumbents, or we just going to do what we always do and expect different results?

I expect insanity, or no vote at all from most Americans. Isn't democracy grand?!

Is partisanship making America better?

Red state, blue state divide: One party will never rule!

"Despite Democratic promises that the House Rules Committee would operate much differently in the new majority, it is as partisan as ever," writes the Hill.

"Furious with how the powerful panel has been directed this year, all four Republican members of the Rules Committee took to the floor Tuesday night to air their grievances publicly."

Wow! Who woulda thunk partisanship wouldn't stop just because Democrats took office?

The partisanship between the left and right hasn't abated in decades. Each side wants to rule America supremely and, therefore, constantly seeks to tarnish the image of the other side, even at the expense of needed legislation. And, every piece of legislation that does pass is riddled with earmarks, pork and other special projects - costing average American taxpayers billions and billions of dollars.

Of course, whom can blame them?

Average, centrist America has let the radical right and left control both major parties. Thus, average Americans continue to get screwed by Congress and the White House, and nothing is going to change that until America Votes out all Incumbents, or both parties begin to realize that their job is constructive consensus, not violent partisanship.

Is partisanship a necessary evil in politics or the sign of a dysfunctional political system?

A new ProLife Third Party?

A Third Party based on abortion?

"Alarmed at the chance that the Republican party might pick Rudolph Giuliani as its presidential nominee despite his support for abortion rights, a coalition of influential Christian conservatives is threatening to back a third-party candidate in an attempt to stop him." (NYTimes)

Generally, I support the idea of Third Parties, but this one has me stumped. In most cases, I think Third Parties should be about a different way of doing things, particularly a way that isn't so funded by lobbyists. However, a Third Party largely based upon one issue, such as abortion, seems like a bad idea.

While I believe that abortion is tragic, I do believe it is also a woman's choice.

Despite my opinions about abortion, a Third Party driven by abortion also seems stupid. How would dividing the Republican Party and guaranteeing that a pro-abortion rights Democrat becomes President accomplish the Conservatives goals? Ultimately, anti-abortion Christians do not represent a majority of America, and nothing is going to change that.

I wish Christians didn't make abortion their primary political concern because I think it ostracizes them from the rest of society, but standing up for your beliefs is hard to argue against.

Rate the idea of a ProLife Third Party