Where do you stand?

[BOBS DAD]

I assume your grandmother gave birth to your father. I know that is the way it worked in my family!

I said.... Perhaps I should have been more cleared and said delivered by midwife so as not to suggest created by the midwife....

According to my father's stories...poor families especially...only sought medical assistance in an emergency...which did not include childbirth. But, in any case, you paid cash. Or chickens. Medical insurance came later.

When I see people picking strawberries in the fields around here I struggle to think they are getting a free ride and not making their own way....

It is all too true that immigrants (as well as many others!) in this country had a rough time of it and social safety nets were pretty much nonexistent. Hurt at work....oh well! Unable to work because of age or disabled? That's what kids are for....to support you. No food?....there's the bread line.

I just don't know if we really want to use those good old days as guiding principles today.

SORRY... missed that!!! Yes, you are corrrect. My grandmother did give birth to my father. At least that's the storyline... I wasn't actually there to witness the event you know!!!

[RICHARD]

Since this is America.....

I am almost positive that America did not write the "long haired freaky people"/Signs song...

and you got to have a membership card to get inside, Uhhhh!

[Edwina's Secretary]

I am almost positive that America did not write the "long haired freaky people"/Signs song...

and you got to have a membership card to get inside, Uhhhh!

What do I know.....I'm delusional.....

[DIANESDOGS]

OK... so I haven't been around for a while. But this thread almost makes me laugh. Edwina, you say people have resorted to calling you names because they "don't have any argument". But it seems like you are the one who is lacking in substance or facts. I see a lot of opinions expressed in these posts and some real credible substance as well. It seems that if these opinions disagree with your own, then you attempt to suggest or imply that they are motivated by ignorance or bigotry. JMO.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Thank you DIANESDOG. I have tried NOT to get into name calling (I know how hurtful I find it) nor personal attacks.

Everyone has a right to an opinion and there is a difference between the person and the person's opinion.

Today I broke my own rule. I'll blame it on jetlag and delete the offensive statement.

[BOBS DAD]

WOW. I haven't checked in here in a while because I "checked out". I guess it's good that we (meaning mostly "me") are called into order once in a while. Thank you too Diane. I also apologize if I got out of line or came on too strong at any time. I will check my previous post and edit/delete any offensive commentary! God... I love this country!!!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

MOFF, you ae not seriously thinking that naturalized citizens earn a mere $900.00 a year, are you? Or am I just misunderstanding Edwina's post?

No, I was freaking out because I thought it was said they were making $900 A WEEK!!!

[lizbud]

It's good to see this discussion continue because this problem does
not seem to be going away real soon.Bush is considering sending the
National Guard to the border states.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1956312

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Not to open up another can of worms, but I'd rather see the National Guard protecting our borders than getting killed in a another country.

[Lady's Human]

The reason that the National Guard is the force in question rather than the regular army is Posse Comitatus. This law prevents federal military forces from being used in a law enforcement role within the borders of the United States.

If anyone had any true intestinal fortitude (and this includes everyone on Capitol Hill, not just republicans or just democrats) they would revise Posse Comitatus and allow Federal Forces to be used on the border areas to protect the border. The excesses from the post-Civil War era are long since over, and like many other statutes that have gathered dust over the years need to be revised.

[RICHARD]

If anyone had any true intestinal fortitude (and this includes everyone on Capitol Hill, not just republicans or just democrats)

You could have said testicular fortitude.....god knows that Boxer, Feinstein and Pelosi from the Great State o' Cah lee fuh nee ah have that angle covered.

[lizbud]

The reason that the National Guard is the force in question rather than the regular army is Posse Comitatus. This law prevents federal military forces from being used in a law enforcement role within the borders of the United States.

National Guard units are controlled at the State level by each
Governor.



If anyone had any true intestinal fortitude (and this includes everyone on Capitol Hill, not just republicans or just democrats) they would revise Posse Comitatus and allow Federal Forces to be used on the border areas to protect the border. The excesses from the post-Civil War era are long since over, and like many other statutes that have gathered dust over the years need to be revised.

Oh yeah that would help..... I would hate to see GB have that
level of power to loose the the Armed Forces in Main St.,USA.Much too
much responsibilty to grant to someone who has never shown much good
sense during his term of office.

[lbaker]

As long as a "can of worms" has been opened... let's go fishin' and just get along for a bit and take some deep breaths. This is a very volatile subject, on that we DO agree. OK?

[lizbud]

As long as a "can of worms" has been opened... let's go fishin' and just get along for a bit and take some deep breaths. This is a very volatile subject, on that we DO agree. OK?

Good idea.

[Lady's Human]

Liz,
You misread my post. I specifically mentioned border areas, as in (for example) use of US Federal forces would be approved in a 20 mile wide zone north of the Mexican border and south of the Canadian border. (Yes, there are terrorist groups based in Canada, we got briefs on them constantly while I was in FT Drum, and there is also illegal immigration coming from the northern border as well as the southern border)

I also did not mention a time limit, I believe this should be a permanent change. The US Military USED to patrol the borders of the country, which is why you can follow our westward expansion in part by town names. (Most, not all, towns which have "fort" in their names were actually forts when they were on the western edge of expansion)

We need to go back to letting the military do its job, which is protecting the borders of the US. We are probably the only country in the world with laws that specifically ban the military from doing so.