A state election commission probably would not hold sway over the Supreme Court, but which state approved him?

I suspect the issue has died out, but in Presidential politics you just never know.

I am confused on your comment regarding "brevity" being wasted. I wrote as much as I wanted to.

I have often thought the same thing. I certainly worked with some officers and NCO's who consistently made better decisions than what we often get from many of our elected officials - and they had served, and been in harm's way.

But.....there is something very safe about having civilian control over our government at the highest levels. Even though we're talking about "former" military people, we are one country that has not seen a coup.

It's the same reason we have lay boards - non doctors on hospital boards, non teachers on school boards, non pilots on the airport boards, etc. We really value the "no entangling alliances" idea for our government.

But emotionally, UP, I'm right there with you more often than not. And I will take second looks at these two candidates.

I think you would find John McCain and John Kerry would be the two least likely to solve things the "military way" and they, like many other 'experienced' vets have the backbone to stand up for what is right.

It started with George Washington.

But you have the right to your opinion, even when it is wrong.
And you have that right thanks in part to that hegemonically (spelled with 2 'l's BTW) masculine organization that you think provides inadequate leadership.

**********
kstein, your post makes me think of a scene from a popular movie:

"We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline! I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide it! I would rather you just said, "Thank you," and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think..."

He is a 4th generation resident of Nampa Idaho - graduated from the same high school, and college (NNU) as his parents and grand parents did.

He knows first hand the struggles of small businesses in Idaho - he founded a small business here too.

He knows first hand the financial struggles of Idahoans attending college - he worked full time while attending NNU where he received his Bachelor's Degree in Political Science.

He knows the meaning of Selfless Service to others. He inlisted in the US Army became a member of the Rangers and experienced 1st hand the birth of a free nation of Iraq. Several years after his stint in the US Army he inlisted in the Idaho Guard. He SAW people risk their lives to vote in Iraq's first free election.

In Matt's Selfless Service he created and coaches youth soccer teams. Helping our Idaho youth learn that working together as a team can be both fun and rewarding. He makes the time to volunteer in his community in many way - from walking door-to-door collecting food to to managing the funds of the county GOP.

Matt Salisbury received his Masters Degree in International Diplomacy with an emphasis on Economics. He has excelled in his work with International Businesses for major companies in Idaho.

Matt and his wife Chandra have three young children. As a young family they too experience many of the same frustrations that other young families in Idaho are experiencing. As a parent, he wants his children - and all children - to receive the best education possible and affordable health care. As parents we choose which doctors we want to care for our children - shouldn't we as parents also be able to choose which schools and teachers we want to educate our children?

Matt sees the challenges facing Idaho's elderly citizens. He listens to the issues the eldery of his community, church, and family voice to him. He realizes that it won't be long before he too will face these issues - unless things change NOW. He knows that the issues our elderly face are not unique to Idaho - these are national issues. Matt will not ignore theses issues.

Matt Salisbury is a 4th generation Idahoan, a Veteran of the US Army and the Idaho Guard, a community volunteer, a husband, a father, a son, a grandson, a neighbor. He refuses to accept outside special interest money for his campaign beause outside interests are not Idaho's interests.

I think Matt Salisbury will be an excellent Congressman for Idaho District One. Military experience is far from the only experience that Matt Salisbury has to offer Idahoans.

Thanks for your service in the Navy.

"if" we were to consider Bush guilty of war crimes we would truly have to also charge all senators and representatives who voted for the war, such as Clinton and Kerry. Since every month the Democratically controlled House and Senate approve the money for the war we would have to charge all of them who voted to approve.

And, as has been shown in previous war trials "following orders" is not a sufficient defense, we will also have to charge all of the military officers who participated in the "illegal" war, and then work our way down through the ranks. This would ultimately result in all deployed members of the Idaho National Guard being charged.

That might be a bit unwieldy.

The better choice would be to win the war that Islam declared against us in 2000. Avenge the USS Cole, avenge the attack on our native soil in 2001, and hunt down those who started and continue the war against us.

Exxon made a 7% profit in 2007, and paid $18 billion in taxes, employed many, many thousands of workers, and with its fellow energy companies help stabilize our economy during the housing and real estate downturn. We would be in a full-fledged recession without profitable energy companies right now.

Of course, the senate approved new oil exploration in the U.S. back in the 1990's and President Clinton vetoed the bill. The smart play today remains developing our coastal oil fields, ANWR, and improving relations with oil producing friends on this continent such as Mexico, and throughout Central and South America. We have truly mismanaged those relationships back through the last half-dozen Presidents.

Write a soldier=support
Give blood=support
Toys for Tots=support

Caring about anybody-support

Sorry, cellmate we'll see each other a while when Leavenworth is expanded across 4 states.

the average taxpayer making a decent living. Republicans will never change their opinion & democrats will always defend they're failure in following like whipped pups.

Terrorist are playing US through DC, representatives like Bush don't care while taxpayers are footing the bill, & dying to do so. The two party system that has US in this war is in need of an overhaul. Full financial disclosure & war crimes should a court find it the case. A court of the public/taxpayers, not representatives or judges appointed by the criminals. Never happen! That says a bunch, it's crooked from Congress, the Senate, courts, AG, & all the way to the White House. Executive privelege!

It's sad, obvious lunacy that media report all this bad/negative news & some people, republicans, continue to suggest what a wonderful life we live. Blinders? The best crooks never come clean, deny, deny, deny! When politicians appoint judges & AGs they have nothing to worry about. How is it that every administration has to spend millions on defense/lawyers at our expense? Our prisons are full of nonviolent criminals as well as violent & they're all innocent too?

In seven years Bush & co. have taken US from surplus to recession & it's all good? I don't think so. Full finacial disclosure by all our representatives back to NAFTA. Nothing to hide, no fear. Let's have it all made public, campaign contributions, from who to who, votes in Congress & Senate & how they relate to contributions. It's our country so lets have an accounting. Let's see the books, see the truth.

If any of our representatives were really representing US it seems they might put a cap on fuel prices for over the road trucks, airlines, rail, & steamships to hold down inflation but they do nothing as we spiral out of control. The entire world could get on board with transportation costs in airline & steamship but all sit by & do nothing. Bush was quick to war, after an attack. Why so slow to stop a recession, depression created through his war in a country that never attacked US? Just like 9/11, warned about it years in advance & do nothing? To make foolish adjustments such as war after the fact when it could have been avoided was wrong & waiting to solve our economic problems in hope they will solve themselves is wrong as well. Dragging it out with rate cuts & a stimulus we'll spend on foreign made products might bump China's economy but Americans are still losing jobs & the dollar is still weak.

Allowing our economic problems to compound while taxpayers go broke due to high fuel costs while family is in Iraq fighting a war based on lies & doing nothing about the cost of fuel in the transportation industry will only make inflation worse. The cost of fuel for our cars is nothing compared to the cost of delivering goods. We'll pay ten times over the increase in price of goods & they won't come back down, we'll always pay. We can cut our personal driving & waste, goods such as food will always have to be delivered. Eliminate sales tax on groceries, the farm bill is a tax before they hit the store. Farmers are doing better than they have in years, let them make it on the exporting through a weak dollar & a world in need of food & use the $ from the farm bill where we need it now.

There are a couple ideas, cap fuel prices on transportation, use $ from the farm bill other than corproate welfare, & eliminate sales tax on groceries. Those ideas alone would be a positive move in stopping inflation & allowing taxpayer relief. Why hasn't Bush, Congress, & the Senate done anything in these areas. They fight back & forth over party yet allow taxpayers of both parties to go broke. Is that representation? They'll bail out banking with taxpayer $, support corporate welfare through a farm bill, but sit by & watch the taxpayer who pay for these things go broke one at a time?

Bush claims to stop corporate welfare in not supporting the farm bill which is obviously a cover for all his other failures. It's politics. Democrats fail in their support of the farm bill while claiming the war is the problem. How about they all quit doing what's best for their party & do what's best for America? The farm bill is a joke just like the two parties & the war. We need an overhaul, clean house, & take the best weapon terrorist have out of DC! Can't continue to protect the institution, the White House, Congress, & Senate while they break US & survive as a nation.

War crimes, full disclosure, a real investigation! It would be a waste of time & money just like our representation because they would cover their lies at our expense
while America conitnues to fall apart. They don't care about America or Americans, just their money! Our representatives have to step up & they won't. Never happen in this dream land of denial. All the religion they go on about & they couldn't find the truth with both hands, a map, & a flashlight. The truth is buried next to a politician's greedy head, up that old dirt road.

The American people could stir it up but they won't. There are always a few who paint a pretty picture while other suffer & lose. It's all about the party not the country! Spending millions on the primaries, contributions that could be used for a country in need is just more proof that corporate welfare will be the victor while America the loser.

Tomlin, could you please use the reply button when replying directly to someone's post. Then when I skip greyghost's post I can skip yours too. I have a lot of spare time, but not that much.

Thanks :-)

action years before 9/11 instead of playing golf. Defending the country would seem to suggest doing something when the warnings are there, years before an attack. If they knew about a commission, a report of possible use of commercial airliners as bombs I would think the Senate, Congress, & the President would have had a clue. Maybe defense of the nation doesn't start until after an attack?

It's amazing how fast a repulican will defend the failure of a republican President. Some people look around & see noting but good things because that's what they want to see. Open eyes see it all. There's that 14% & 25% appoval rating, the only percentage that counts? That tells the republican story, wrong 75% to 85% of the time all while thinking they're right.

We all know sales tax on groceries isn't a federal tax, some states do & some don't have sales tax on groceries. Idaho being a repulican state, we do! Stick together & all the failure will be fine. What some people have against reality & turn onto positive for the party is amazing. Republicans are failing, have been since Dubya took office. Write it anyway you want, surplus to recession in seven years. Do the math.

Living in denial isn't going to fix the economy which I have to believe falls to the cammander in chief as well. Bush's failed war along wit campaign finance & free trade caused all our economic problems. If I'm not mistaken Bush is all about the banking industry, hand in hand with the Fed he was all about a stimulus & Bear Sterns, or wasn't he? I guess he wasn't responsible but went out of his way to solve the problem?
What a man, didn't have to as President by stepped up any way?

Maybe Bush should focus on his war & forget the bank & economy. Is that what you suggest? It isn't the President's business? Maybe you should do a reality check. The President is in up to his failing best with nobody else to blame, unless he isn't man enough to accept the responsibility that goes with the job. It's obvious the repbulican party isn't up to the task. Lying, painting it all a rose, & making up excuses isn't going to solve the problems we face.

I think you've summed up the republican party incompetence, lack of ability, & willingness to shirk responsibility for all their failure. It's time to step aside. Next time we vote, I suggest we don't send a boy. All you get is excuses with no responsibility for failure. Real men stand up & accept responsibility when they fail, all Bush does is make up more lies, start wars, kill innocent people, & torture. Is that the America we all grew up to believe in. Republicans & democrats who don't have the sand to stand up to them while on our payroll for doing a job they're paid to do are failing & the country is prospering in your eyes. Maybe they're a little crossed.

I can hear the excuses now. They used our planes to attack US? They hit the World Trade Center? Everybody on the planet knew it was happening before Bush had a clue. Commander in Chief, that's a hoot. According to Bush, major fighting was over four years ago so why aren't we out of Iraq, playing golf? According to Bush it would only cost $50 billion? According to Bush we're not in a reccession either.

There are a lot of things we could do to curb a recession, even if it isn't up to the failure in chief who would use excuses & blame others before taking responsibility while shirking his. No wonder America is in a tail spin, our leader still hasn't been told. Do the rest of the republicans think everything is just dandy too? Might want to read a peper or listen to the news, catch up on current affairs. If it doesn't interfer with the golf game or reality.

Do you have any idea how rediculous it is to suggest the election cycle is the court? Four or six years after a failure it's time to make an adjustment to correct? Did the last presidencial election fix the mess we face today? Sorry but the President, Congress, & the Senate have the ability to act on anything in the interest of the country. Isn't the stimulus an action, the bail out of Bear Stearns? If we can start a war on the word of the President, I think we can make adjustments in fuel prices without socialism taking over the nation. We do lease to oil companies. Would it be out of line to suggest the billions they make might be a little over the top while we're at war & fuel is driving US into a recession? We lowerd the speed limit to 55 MPH a few years ago but that wouldn't be social.

Why is it every time a republican has a problem it turns into a socialist program or socialism & it's the fault of a democrat? Our schools are social with the word public in front of them, they're not social? Social Security is a social progam, Medicare, & Mediaid are social programs, taxes are social. It might be politically or according to republicans, incorrect to suggest public schools are social but anytime a government collects $ from taxpayers, many who don't go to the public school paid for with their tax $, it's social. Dance around it all you want with speacial words but it doesn't change the fact that $ is collected from US taxpayers to run a school owned by city, county, state, or federal government. It may be worded as something other than social, called public, but it is social.

Tell me Social Security isn't a social program. Social Security would be in great shape if Congress, our representatives weren't stealing from it. I guess that shoots your anti social theories down. Social worked fine until your perfect world of government realized the money could be had. Can't cap fuel prices but had no problem skimming off Social Security after failing to run the country on regular social taxes?

Republicans, know all, never wrong about anything, never accept responsibility, & it's a perfect world, it's the truth as long as it's republican. The Nazi party & the republican party have more in common than you would like to admit or would admit. You should change the name to the denial party, it's about the only thing repubicans do well or should I say best. The screwup&denial party, it's got something, a certain ring to it, truth? Truth & republican don't fit together in the same sentence.

Screwup&denial Party. Isn't that the party Larry Craig is in, resigned from but never left? Has ring to it. You guys are entertaining.

in Star Trek, Capt Kurt said Spock did too much LDS in the seventies but it should have been LSD. I think it had something to do with the ears or the way they were dressed. You're killing me here. I can't recall all that stuff, might have it all wrong.

I don't think her name is Bounce, isn't it Beyonce or something? Bounce man, bounce through life, a lighter step as you pointed out in the earlier post. You have to go with it, perfect name for a 21st century author. Start a new trend, like rap except literature. Bounce literature, I think you're onto something.

Where'd that pro wrestling come from, Playboy? There was a little girl wrestler in last month's Playboy I think. You can't fool US any longer, you're all about the funky stuff & just acting like a conservative republican. Hanging around with good looking singers & wrestlers, sly dog. Bounce, we had a dog named Bouncer when were were little kids, kinda forgot until we've kicked up some stones here. Dog used to bounce through the weeds after rabbits so we named him Bouncer. You could work in a bar with a $25 handle like that.

Like I said, shed the republican reputation. Bounce out of the 20th century into the 21st while you're only eight years behind & you're on easy street. You'll be hanging with Snoop Dog before we know it. I bet you forget about all us after you hit the big time. See how ungratefull you are, I give you a great name that leads to stardom & you already forgot about me. You were going to kick my but a week ago & all the sudden fame has clouded your vision & memory to the point I'm nobody. Some friend you turned out to be. You'll be higher than a Georgia pine hanging with the Snoop Dog & I'll be pickin chit with the chickens here in Boise.

But she sang Bounce and proved she could (slightly ridiculous).