ASTAC's thoughts and Views

[ASTAC]

This is where I stand on a few things.
Just thought I’d share them with you guys.

The United States is no longer the great republic it once was.

The government of the republic no longer functions

We have a representative government that represents no one.

Children have no rights guaranteed by the Constitution while in the care of their parents.

Corporal punishment should never have been banned at home or at school.

The Iraq war was not JUST for oil.

The United States should dump Israel.

The US Supreme court and the lower Federal courts are increasingly becoming the new Legislative Branch.

There are no actual Checks or Balances for the Judicial Branch.

Guantanimo Bay is a necessary evil in our “war on terror”

The new anti-spyware laws should apply to US law enforcement also.

There should never have been a “drug deal” on the filibuster issue.

It is well within the senate’s rules for the minority party to filibuster anything that goes to a floor vote. (And I’m a republican so don’t scream “liberal” at me!)

Your property is your property..Imminent domain is BS!

More to come…..

[Staga]

I think I'm also a republican

[StarOfAfrica2]

I pretty much agree with everything but dumping Israel.  Somebody should share the heat.

[ASTAC]

I'm actually more for pulling support of all who end up causing more pain than what they are worth. Not just Israel.

[Maverick]

Just curious then, who would you support or keep as an ally in the Middle East?

[oboe]

Some stuff here I agree with and some not, but this one really stuck in my mind more than the others:

Guantanimo Bay is a necessary evil in our “war on terror”

We're talking about a place where the accused can be locked up forever essentially, without a trial or representation, and  tortured also, right?

Seems to me there is something deeply disturbing and wrong about the US running a place like this.   I agree its evil, I disagree its necessary.   It seems at odds with the principles this country is supposed to stand for.    It seems like exactly the kind of thing many people say we are liberating Iraq from under Saddam, and here we are doing it ourselves.

[Hangtime]

sorry oboe.

Tain't a black and white world.

Every nation at war has a 'Guantanmo Bay'. Always will.

Our kids are out there doin an ugly job on the lines.. walking the streets, gettin captured, tortured, maimed, killed and their disfigured bodies are dragged thru the streets. They don't work for the fish and game commission, they ain't running a 'catch and release program'. It's a war. A dirty nasty ugly war.

An enemy captured while bearing arms against us does not need to be 'charged'. A suspect agent for the enemy does not need to be 'charged'. Our enemy is not playing by our rules; they do not honor anything remotely close to the 'Geneva Convention'.

Guantanamo is ugly.. and necessary. The moment we start doing 'tag and release' with insurgents captured in a comabt zone will be the moment our kids stop taking prisoners... would you rather the troops handle summary justice? Ask 'em. They'll tell yah, "Snuff 'em instead of sending 'em to the rear for tag and release? No problem. Lemme tell yah what those bastards did to Jimmy in C company.. he was out takin a leak..."

There had better be a Guantanamo. The alternative is worse.

Quote the 'we become them' line all yah like.. and go save a whale or something. Reality is, we ain't lopping off heads and running the video on CNN. We're incarcerating suspects, inerrogating prisoners. And frankly if the guards make 'em play nekkid dog-pile on the mullah that's still a lot better than decapitating somebodys son for the 'cause'.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by ASTAC
This is where I stand on a few things.
Just thought I’d share them with you guys.

The United States is no longer the great republic it once was.

I blame Lincoln.

The government of the republic no longer functions

What did you expect when we made some Texas moron president?

We have a representative government that represents no one.

Sure it does... it represents the interests of corporate America.

Children have no rights guaranteed by the Constitution while in the care of their parents.

There's nothing in the Constitution that  states who does and who does not have rights. AFAIK, it's all inclusive (citizens, non-citizens, immigrants, illegal immigrants... everyone)

Corporal punishment should never have been banned at home or at school.

This is a gross oversimplification. I'm not too impressed with parents that need to hit their kids to get their point across.

The United States should dump Israel.

Here, here!

The US Supreme court and the lower Federal courts are increasingly becoming the new Legislative Branch.

Well... let's consider for a moment how the legislative branch wastes time making laws to protect a single eggplant and worrying about steroid abuse in professional sports.

There are no actual Checks or Balances for the Judicial Branch.

The Judicial Branch IS a check and balance.

Guantanimo Bay is a necessary evil in our “war on terror”

Yeah... let's just lock everyone up that we suspect of being a terrorist without worrying about little details like due process. I'm sure they thought places like Manzanar were a necessary evil during WWII.

The new anti-spyware laws should apply to US law enforcement also.

If I'm reading this correctly, you don't like the Patriot Act. Get with the program man! The American people WANT to give up a little freedom in exchange for a little more security.

There should never have been a “drug deal” on the filibuster issue.

The filibuster issue should have never been. The "nuclear option" was idiotic. Hell, the only reason some Republicans went along with the "drug deal" is because they are farsighted enough to know that one day they'll be the minority and they'll want to do the very same thing the Dems are doing.

It is well within the senate’s rules for the minority party to filibuster anything that goes to a floor vote. (And I’m a republican so don’t scream “liberal” at me!)

Yeah...we're in violent agreement.

Your property is your property..Imminent domain is BS!

Agreed. Unless we need to put in a new overpass to speed up the commute. Nothing says "America" better than urban sprawl.

[Yeager]

and I stopped masterbating for this?  wtf?

[NUKE]

Interesting. Here are some of my views, no particular order:

1. The US is the most benevolent world power in history

2. We should never turn our backs on Israel, everyone else wants them to dissapear it seems.

3. The Iraq war was completely justified.

4. The only way into heaven is through Jesus Christ

5. The EU will directly lead to a major war in Europe.

[Hangtime]

Yeah... let's just lock everyone up that we suspect of being a terrorist without worrying about little details like due process. I'm sure they thought places like Manzanar were a necessary evil during WWII.

Soon as we start rounding up the muslim population of the US, it's territories and *ahem* the 'occupied lands' and truckin' 'em off to guam I'll be right there with yah howling 'due process' and 'save the baby mullah's'.

There's about 300 high risk suspects and hard line POW's at Guantanamo... not the muslim population of San Francisco. Methinks yer doin' the 'tempest in a ****-bowl' bit. If the incarceration of 300 high risk insurgents (and a few 'innocents' of Gixer's ilk) keeps one of our kids alive, shortens the war by one day.. heluva deal.

It's a freakin war.. and in the landscape of war a Guantanamo is a lot more pleasant sight than an overstocked cemetary pit.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by NUKE
Interesting. Here are some of my views, no particular order:

1. The US is the most benevolent world power in history

Yeah... unfortunately all this benevolence costs the taxpayers and we have little or no say about it.

2. We should never turn our backs on Israel, everyone else wants them to dissapear it seems.

If they didn't have the U.S. backing their play, they might find a reason to try and get along. If not, shreck 'em.

3. The Iraq war was completely justified.

I completely disagree. If we're now in the business of regime change for every two-bit dictator, I want my income tax back. Oh... and you get the government you deserve.

4. The only way into heaven is through Jesus Christ

There is no such place.

5. The EU will directly lead to a major war in Europe.

Yeah... we have our own civil war as proof. Maybe we should rethink this whole "union" thing.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by Hangtime


It's a freakin war.. and in the landscape of war a Guantanamo is a lot more pleasant sight than an overstocked cemetary pit.

Yeah... just like the so-called "drug war" and the explosion of prisons in this country. Unfortunately, they have no exit strategy for that one either.

[NUKE]

Israelis are not the ones that need to learn to get along.

The Iraq war was not about regime change.

The EU is in no way similar to the early US. I believe the EU will directly lead to a war in Europe.

[Sandman]

Originally posted by NUKE
Israelis are not the ones that need to learn to get along.

Well... if you wrote "not the only ones", I'd agree. Both Israel and Palestine need to get their **** together.

The Iraq war was not about regime change. [/b]

Oh yeah... I keep forgetting about the WMD.

The EU is in no way similar to the early US. I believe the EU will directly lead to a war in Europe. [/B]

I give. Why?