Politics and religion.

[sasvermont]

To my American friends: On Sunday, don't forget to set your clocks back one hour. On Tuesday, try not to set your country back 50 years.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

To my American friends: On Sunday, don't forget to set your clocks back one hour. On Tuesday, try not to set your country back 50 years.

Actually life 50 years ago wasn't all that bad!!! I was there!!! The American Dream was still alive and obtainable by anyone willing to work hard for it. Now only certain people seem able to achieve it.

Everyone could practice their faith or leave it alone as they chose without anyone 'being offended'.

You learned early that life wasn't always fair, you didn't have to wait until you were grown up to be blind sided by that fact. If you wanted something, you worked for it, you didn't expect it to be handed to you.

Wages weren't all that high but then the cost of living wasn't high either. Most families could get by very well on only one income.

Most people weren't in debt up to their eyeballs.

The government didn't stick it's nose into your business like it does today. Pay your taxes and mind your own business and you were ok.

Presidential elections were based on the canidates GOOD qualities. Now they are just down right MEAN, and NASTY and a lot of time, not true.

Of course, there were some things we needed to desperatly fix, like equality for African Americans and other minorities. Those are still works in progress on certain levels.

[Edwina's Secretary]

Actually life 50 years ago wasn't all that bad!!! I was there!!!

Of course, there were some things we needed to desperatly fix, like equality for African Americans and other minorities. Those are still works in progress on certain levels.

I was there too. Do you know the marginal tax rate for the highest earners was over 90% compared to 35% today. Capital gains tax was 25% compared to 15% today.

You mention minorities but what about women? It was legal - and very common to pay women less than men for the same job. And of course, women were not hired in many jobs. The only job Sandra Day O'Connor could get as a top graduate from Stanford Law School was as a legal secretary. Teachers had to leave the classroom when their pregnancy began to show and flight attendants had to be young, skinny and single - or they lost their job. Even when I was out of college - the newspapers advertised "help wanted - male" and "help wanted - female."

Polio was just beginning to be eliminated. I was six when the vaccine first came out. Just think of the medical advances since then!

It is easy to remember the good times when you look back - but there are many, many things that are better today!

[mrspunkysmom]

I was there too. Do you know the marginal tax rate for the highest earners was over 90% compared to 35% today. Capital gains tax was 25% compared to 15% today.

You mention minorities but what about women? It was legal - and very common to pay women less than men for the same job. And of course, women were not hired in many jobs. The only job Sandra Day O'Connor could get as a top graduate from Stanford Law School was as a legal secretary. Teachers had to leave the classroom when their pregnancy began to show and flight attendants had to be young, skinny and single - or they lost their job. Even when I was out of college - the newspapers advertised "help wanted - male" and "help wanted - female."

Polio was just beginning to be eliminated. I was six when the vaccine first came out. Just think of the medical advances since then!

It is easy to remember the good times when you look back - but there are many, many things that are better today!

When i started teaching, some of those teachers that "broke ground" were still teaching. They were allowed to continue teaching because a suitable replacement couldn't be found.

A good friend was a geologist that couldn't find a job except with the gov't. The signs on the doors said "women need not apply". This was the early 60s.

[cassiesmom]

I have a pin on Pinterest from 1940: "Advantages of the Profession of Nursing" ... nursing "especially prepares a young woman for homemaking and motherhood". I smile every time I think of it! That's such a dated way of thinking! But the same article goes on to describe nursing as a "rich and varied career", which it definitely is.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nursingpins/6056998440/



I heard on the news that parts of New Jersey are going to be voting via fax and e-mail on Tuesday because the polling places lack power, or they are not accessible due to storm damage, or possibly other reasons. The state board of elections is working out what to do. I wonder if this will lead to more use of these kinds of voting in future elections. I'd love to be able to vote on line in future elections. I hope it works well!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I heard on the news that parts of New Jersey are going to be voting via fax and e-mail on Tuesday because the polling places lack power, or they are not accessible due to storm damage, or possibly other reasons. The state board of elections is working out what to do. I wonder if this will lead to more use of these kinds of voting in future elections. I'd love to be able to vote on line in future elections. I hope it works well!

Oh, my, can you just imagine the law suits that voitng on line would cause? People have their undies in a twist just because some states have a voter ID law wanting you to prove you are who you are and have a right to vote. Plus the main complaint against the photo id is it would cause hardship on lower income people. Not everyone has Internet access either. Besides hackers would have a field day with on line voting.

I showed my drivers license when I voted last week. It didn't hurt at all!!!
(By the way, people can get a photo ID card for around $6. Most people can scrape that up by skipping a few sodas or chips or a beer or two or their smokes for a month)

[Edwina's Secretary]

I voted last week. Like most people I know here in CA - I voted by mail. Did not have to show an ID. Like all states I did have to show ID when I registered.

Now...if you think of the HUGE (not) problem of voter fraud....it is in mail-in or absentee voting. Who knows who is REALLY voting when soldiers overseas send in their ballot? It could be anyone!

Who knows when my elder mother sends in her ballot...was it really she who completed it? Who knows if I completed my ballot...it could have been my neighbor, my husband or an illegal alien.

The problems some people (including me) have with voter id are:

- There is not a problem with voter fraud so why fix something that isn't broken? The statistics show such a low to non-existent incident rate!

- It does nothing for the voting that offers the best opportunity for fraud - mail-in/absentee ballots

- It is a blatant attempt to surpress voting (see Pennsylvania politician who crowed on tape that now they had passed strict voter id they could deliver the state for Romney)

- It is like using an elephant gun to shoot a gnat. Of all the problems these politicians could be taking care of...is this non-problem really all that urgent?

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I was there too. Do you know the marginal tax rate for the highest earners was over 90% compared to 35% today. Capital gains tax was 25% compared to 15% today.

You mention minorities but what about women? It was legal - and very common to pay women less than men for the same job. And of course, women were not hired in many jobs. The only job Sandra Day O'Connor could get as a top graduate from Stanford Law School was as a legal secretary. Teachers had to leave the classroom when their pregnancy began to show and flight attendants had to be young, skinny and single - or they lost their job. Even when I was out of college - the newspapers advertised "help wanted - male" and "help wanted - female."

Polio was just beginning to be eliminated. I was six when the vaccine first came out. Just think of the medical advances since then!

It is easy to remember the good times when you look back - but there are many, many things that are better today!

I remember that Polio vaccine too. We had to take it in a sugar cube and it made me burp that flavor all day. My first experiance with heart burn. I also remember Ruby. An Afraican American girl who went to our grade school. I also remember the brace on her leg. She was about twice as tall as everyone else because she had missed a couple of years because she had had Polio.

Most of the kids wouldn't even talk to her or made fun of her. That was when I decided it was just plane stupid not to like someone because of their skin color or looks. I would sit with her and talk every chance I got.

I only felt discriminated against because of my sex one time. That was when mom made me start wearing a bra and my brother didn't have too. She had not had THAT talk with me yet and I thought it awfully unfair. She told me I needed one because the 'neighbors' were starting to talk. I told her they should mind their own business. I was 10 at the time.

I also remember having to duck and cover under our desks in case an atomic bomb was being dropped on us. I always wondered why they thought those flimsy wooden desks would protect us.

I also remember how us kids could walk every where in town and not have to be afraid someone was going to kidnap us or hurt us. All the adults I knew looked out for everyone's kids and had would be sure and tell our parents if we did anything we shouldn't. It was that way for me even through high school.

There were few drugs in high school. There were a few kids that smoked but no pot or stuff like that. School was a safer place for kids. If a kid bullied another one, both the teachers and the parents took care of the problem.

I was discriminated against so many other ways, I guess it didn't bother me if I was because of my sex. I was always too short, or too this or too that. (I did not play well with others even as an adult) I did think it was unfair that I had to pay more taxes because I was single. I did agree that women should be paid the same as men but for me that was just the way it was. I was not one to burn my bra and join picket lines. I never had the desire to do a "man's" job like work on highways and things.

I guess every time has both good and bad. I also know I'd rather dwell on the good than the bad.

[RICHARD]

MOFF,
This thread is about POLITICAL BOOBS.........

-------------------------

Political Jesus.

Please end this political season soon, November 6th sounds about right.
Let the winners win with grace, the losers lose with face and let Bill Clinton disappear from the TV set.
Please let the protect the people tht suffered from Hurricane Sandy and don't let them fall for the political
promises and photo-ops. Protect them from any more weather and the winter season.

Let whoever wins keep his promises to the people (fat chance, Jesus - but I want to believe) and please get Dianne Feinstein out of office. Keep taxes down, jobless rates low and please bring back the belief in the people we elect - I know, I am asking for way too much, but at least I am trying...........

And finally?

Please make the U.S. the arse kicking country that we were once upon a time.

Amen.