I see that this walkathon was conducted statewide, but was this a country-wide effort, too? The two protest groups reflected national AND state issues which are totally in a spinout right now. But, with a leaning toward American Socialism and Liberality, I wonder how many lawmakers and power-holders really give a flip?

Libs want "real security" but they don't want the private industry or private enterprise that provides it. A socialist govt cannot provide "real security". Yet another shining example of non-commonsensical lib logic.

There thyey are! Those peace protesters finally got up the nerve to protest Mr. Obama's war in Afghanistan. Good for them!

I wish I'd known. I would have demonstrated against President Obama's unjust war in Afghanistan, too. He's sending our youth to get blown apart and killed for what?

Stop This Endless War!

First of all like it or not PRESIDENT Obama is our President, he was elected fair and square. Secondly how quick some people forget President Obama voted against the war when he was Senator Obama. Last but not least have you all forgotten President Bush started the war so why don't you blame him?

Why can't we all stop pointing fingers at everyone and just get along ?

Cre8RoyalPalm wrote: I see that this walkathon was conducted statewide, but was this a country-wide effort, too?

Yes, it was.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/09/12/tea.party.rally/index.html

wonderingabouthings: Thanks for a sane and reasoned voice.

Hippies......all of 'em.

'wonderingaboutthings', you are correct in what you stated about President Bush started the "war"; but it was not in Afghanistan, it was in Iraq. The "war" has escalated and spread into other sectors of the Middle east, and through attempts to "save" Afghanistan...(from what...) and to find bib-Laden; and he cannot be found, anyway! Yes, Obama is obviously our President, and all government workers recognize this, and they conduct their jobs accordingly, however, they, too, are human beings, and wish this foolishness over in the ME would stop right now. Remember, the "war" was begun when the US had enough of "attacks" on their embassies, military installatins and US Naval ships; the World Trade Center was just the final straw.

'Kevin of Bangor; thanks. We did not see much of it out here, but when we received the news reports, many attended in our area.

'chersully2000' want to hear a "sane and reasoned voice"? Stop listening to Obama! I know you voted for him!

Cre8RoyalPalm :. I am against the war as much as everyone else is, and Whether you choose to believe it or not, President Bush was in charge when the war in Afganistan began. So stop blaming President Obama. President Obama is trying to find a way out of the wars he inherited without being called soft on terrorism. Some people can not accept the fact that a new generation of leaders are trying hard to bring this country back from the brink. Something that can't be done overnight. President Obama has only been our President for 8 months, before we condemn him lets give him a chance to prove himself.

I am not a Democrat or Republican I am an AMERICAN.

Two days after the anniversary of 9.11 they have a peace demonstration, how absolutely disrespectful can you get!!!!

What we need to do is institute the draft again and you all would have a new address in Canada!!! You all want what is good about this country but are really subversives when it comes to doing what we have to do to keep it that way!!!!!!!! Cowards all of you, so disrespectful to our soldiers that you should all be tarred and feathered!!!!!

I am a soldier of the Veitnam Era and I will never forgot how you all treated me and my fellow soldiers. With what is going on again in Irag etc. it feels just like yesterday. Oh you say you are treating the soldier differently, NO YOUR NOT!! They are dying and this time in a volunteer army and you think your demonstrations are helping, well yes they are the ememy. You know the ones that hate Israel and us because we protect them (NOT A SMALL THING) if you lived in Israel!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In my mind the people of Israel are one of the most peace loving people in the world but after what was done to them in WW11 they learned the hard way!!!!!! They still want peace but learned you can only do that thru strength. What is strenght one would hope you cared enough to ask, they learned not to just sit on there butts and say oh no people would not really do that to us and now they take care of business and the general population does not sit around and whine about what needs to be done. They SUPPORT FULLY there government on Peace thru Strength!!!!!!!!

Back in the day when Pearl Harbor was bombed the whole country protected PEACE thru STRENGH with alot of sacraficing and did it gladly but when our enemies kill thousands during the World Trade Towers you just want to sit back and let it happen again!!! You say they can not influence our lives, well when our enemies because we have decided to ISOLATE ourselfes once again have control (thru intimadation) of the Middle East, Africa and Europe who will be buying our goods (OMG no jobs for us, OMG gas is $20 a gallon OMG, OMG, OMG, OMG,OMG,OMG we are in WW111 and you idiots will be demonstrating WHO LET THIS HAPPEN TO US, well look in the mirrow folks and be sure to pack a lunch for your kids!!! Off to war ya go children and make sure you do a great job of protecting my butt!!!!!!!! Of course you won`t own how that happened!!!!!!

Thank God I`m going to the Toy Run where most of the people are not cowards. What has happened to the State of Maine and this country??? Snowe and Collins and Baldy mite give us a clue. Another subject for another day but while you are waiting you might ask yourself; what the heck have they done for this State!!!!!!!!!! Sorry for the ranting, it is Sunday and I used to be an Alter Boy and I WILL NEVER FORGET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wonderingaboutthings: Obama was only a State senator when he voted against the war.

boogyman: You are absolutely right, so how can anyone blame this mess on President Obama?

Anybody see the footage of the "tea partiers" on the news chanting Glen Beck's name? Tell me this isn't a FoxNews gimmick - plan right wing events,a nd then cover them.

What's really dumb is the fact that people believe that either or the two, socialism or capitalism, is a workable economic system in our times. I also find ridiculous the fact that people would actually believe that multimillionaires such as Glen Beck speak for the interest of the "common man". You can follow these folks to your grave, but I can't understand why people would think these kind of characters want people to "pull themselves up by their own bootstraps". Capitalism is based on the idea of rational self-interest, and folks like Beck would see themselves with less of a share of the pie were everyone able to become successful based on their own laurels, because there'd be less money to be distributed amongst his class if the middle class were better off. Capitalism was designed in the 18th century, a world far different from the one we face today with problems far less complex and a population much smaller. Socialism, while unworkable in total, has many useful applications in mitigating some of the problems our society has developed in the over two hundred years since Capitalism was first defined, and whether right-wingers like it or not, it will be the eventual answer to those problems because it is the right answer, and all of the conservative ideas of how to fix them will fail, as they have been failing since the 80's. Think about it! Every single "fiscally conservative" policy change made by Reagan up through the second Bush has failed, why continue to blindly believe they will someday work? Something tells me Adam Smith never envisioned an economy where the bulk of the wealth is relegated to less than one percent of society when he penned the Wealth of Nations; in fact, that was exactly the case in the economic system du jour, which he was arguing against. You "conservatives" should all read it to get a better understanding of the economic ideals you claim to espouse.

ElectraGlide, I think you're on crack....look at the picture, how many of those people do you think were even around for Vietnam, my parents were children during Vietnam....and since when has Israel been a "peace loving nation"? The first foreign policy move they made as a nation was to invade even more of the Palestinian territory and force out the inhabitants. How is that peace-loving?

Wonderingaboutthings.....

How quickly some people forget that Obama voted against the wars? Are you kidding me? You should have said "I am ignorant, please disregard everything I say!"

Obama wasn't even in the SENATE when those votes were made. Where, exactly, did he vote against the wars? The ACORN board room?

Stop being a lemming, Obama is an empty suit, always has been, always will be.

ElectraGLide sometimes it's better to keep quite and not show just how much an IDIOT you are.......Vietnam war is over so get over it and learn from our mistakes....we lost that one and so be it. Pull out of the middle east bring all the troops home and give everyone health care and save us a bunch of money that is the ONLY SOLUTION!!!! Everyone thinks that the middle east is our problem which is not true........oil speculators on the market is to blame for this mess and its all over greed. I dont know if it was Collins or Snow who said it but they were right when saying that Afganastan is the graveyard of many empires and we need to get out and get out FAST!

These people haven't really looked into what Obama wants to do on this health care reform. he is putting the USA so far in debt that we will NEVER get out of it. And then Obama like he has said that we will have to raise taxes to pay for new health care and his other crazy plans. get real people.

Obama said that he would send more troops to Afghanistan while he was running for office people. All people could here is "Change", well folks here is your change. what now you don't like it.

demsuk, you are fixated on Acorn, an org. that Obama had about as much involvement with as some in the Bush admin. You have no facts, only hatred and bitterness. Your side thinks that they have a permanent right to rule.

For those who rant and rave about the cost of the Democratic healthcare plans, where were you when Bush bailed out the banks? How about when the car executives went before the Republican Congress and asked for a handout during the waning days of the Bush years? Where were you when Bush was playing loose with the numbers, refusing to fund either war out of the budget? Instead, he always put forward an "emergency" appropriation before the Republican Congress, which always rubber stamped his proposals. Where was the ire then, the name calling, the crying about the deficit? It appears that it was ok to fund the fat cats on Wall Street, the auto execs in Detroit, not to mention the Halliburtons of the world who got billions in no-bid contracts from the Republicans.

Now we have a president who wants to go into debt to help ordinary Americans and your Saint Glen Beck goes apoplectic and you all swoon? Go back into your caves and wait until the next election. You had your chance, and you drove this country into the ground. It was fine to spend a billion dollars every 3 days in Iraq for an oil war, but it is objectionable to spend a tenth of that over here for healthcare? Get out of here, there is no credibility left for your side.

Glen Beck was railing about the "worst health care system we could have" in January of 2008 (on CNN) after he had health problems. Now he is on Fox News trying to tell us it is the best in the world? Which is it, he obviously has the morals of a child molester, saying whatever he thinks will get him what he wants ($$$).

Dear ElectraGlide: The only reason I've heard of ElectraGlide, comes from the movie, Electra Glide in Blue. I once put myself in the hospital on a ten speed bicycle (which is a long time ago, as most bicycles have 15 or 18 speeds these days), and I think that's why I never bought a motorcycle, feeling I'd turn myself in to a cripple in the process, or maybe I'm not that adventurous to start with.

Thanks for your service. I enlisted in the Quartermaster Corps of the US Army and we in basic at Ft. Dix during the summer of Woodstock in 1969, so I wouldn't have to shoot anyone or lose a leg to a mine in Nam. Morale in the military already stunk, due to many years of a war with no clear end to it. Nobody wanted to drop nuclear weapons on North Vietnam, and get China involved.

Me and a few others were so naive that we were shocked that the Army was teaching us to kill people at Ft Dix (while Nam and Woodstock raged, simultaneously, in different places, attended by different groups of people). I ended up returning for a second tour, because I felt that I had failed in my first tour and it needed another effort of some sort. I think I came back from the 101st Heroin/Race Riot/Fragging Division in 1972 with a larger sense of failure, but I know everyone did not feel that way at that time.

If I could try an attempt at bad humor, I would disagree with your premise. George Bush, Dick Cheney, and the famous rock star, Bill Clinton, would NOT have to get a new address in Canada....LOL They would find their draft exemptions. fathers to pull strings, or conscientious objector status, right here in America.

I think that only about 11% of us males of that era were sent to Nam. Others served outside the war zone in the military, work exemptions, school exemptions, medical exemptions (often faked), criminal exemptions (convictions for smoking marijuana), etc., so on, and so forth. A few gave up their citizenship and fled to Canada.

The women demanded equal rights, but NOT ONE OF THEM were subject to the draft. Even during the Civil War, a wealthy person could buy his way out of the draft by paying $300 to a poor person to take his place.

I think most wars are like this in some way, and WW II, where people actually rationed food and gas coupons, and couldn't buy a new car because tanks were being made, ended in 1945, although we pretend it is still with us.

Since terrorists exist in every country, including our own veteran who blew up the Federal Building in Oklahoma, it seems like we could have done better by hiring another 50 to 100 thousand people, putting them in brown uniforms, and sending them to our borders with Canada and Mexico and our ports and airports, where the terrorists came in to our country. We have more than enough military, with nuclear weapons, and space weapons, to deal with any outside theat. Development money could have been used to devise new space weapons and surveillance, and devices to detect nuclear material welded in to the hulls of ships, visiting our ports.

Just like our time in Vietnam, I don't think that American troops, with expensive gear and helicopters and weapons to support them, patrolling a native country, will have any long term effect. The local population in Vietnam outlasted us, walking thousands of miles down the Ho Chi Minh trail in sandals, carrying their own rice, often with no medical supplies when snakes bit them. In the end, they outlasted us because they did not need the expensive military equipment and medical support, because they had patriotism, knowledge of the local language and terrain to keep them going. Ask the other countries that have tried to invade Afghanistan over the past few centuries, and you may get the same answer.

One thing I have come to understand is why the WW II generation seemed so uncaring and not supportive to us Vietnam Vets. And I think it is because their own PTSD from their war raged on in their heads as our war raged for us in real life. I've had that problem since about 2003, and wrote so many angry diatribes and worried so many people. Now, I have just come to a big sadness in my own life, and realize that ALL WAR OFTEN BRINGS BIG SADNESS, no matter who the victor is. War sucks! And, everybody, in one way or another, is a victim of it in some way; on all sides, and at all levels.

It sounds like, to me, anyway, you have your own bit of PTSD (either as a result of your war experiences, or non war experiences), and that a war of anger is raging in your own head. So I wish you well, because no matter the outcome of any of these wars, in the end, we all have to come to a peaceful resolution with the war in our head.

PS My father was raised Jewish, but used to slap me at Christmas so I would mention my Methodist Jesus to Nana. He had left the religion of his parents. The Jews made Israel because the European Caucasians killed and murdered them in Europe, and they returned to the Middle East to make a country, just as the Mic Macs and Passamaquoddy wish they had the will and military might to take over the Bangor/Brewer area and re-establish their nation state. I don't think the Jews are any more peace loving than any other group of people, and IT IS A RELIGIOUS STATE, which is analogous to the religious states many Muslims want to create. I lost my right to instant citizenship in Israel when the Rabbis ruled that you could only claim citizenship in Israel if your Mom was a Jew. Here in America, it is NOT a religious state, and you can be a citizen, no matter which parent is a citizen, no mater what religion they are.

Best wishes to you, ElectraGlide, and thanks for posting and serving your country. Rog.

Joshua-----"Socialism, while unworkable in total, has many useful applications"

Please name six useful applications of a Socialist economy for us which will fix "some of the problems our society has developed in the over two hundred years since Capitalism was first defined".

OMG - Hell just frozen over. Captain Andy just made something that made half sense. I am too against the war but it is GWB's War not Obama's. Republican's alway have a problem with facts.

Hmmmm, I wonder why this newspaper hasn't covered the 9-12 protest in our nation's capitol or the two most recent examples of ACORN corruption?

ElectraGlide, calm down before you hurt somebody. And lay off with the exclamation points; there's a worldwide shortage of those things thanks to all the txting teenagers and behavior like that isn't helping.

Ironically, both groups maintain good postions on many issues, many of which are not mutually exclusive. But they are collectively misguided on a world governance level. Especially those Republican conservatives who boast of being the "party of Lincoln." I relinquished my Republican affiliations long ago, as the party drifted drastically from it's libertarian roots of small federal authority, free markets and sound currency. If the "party of Lincoln" still existed, we would be disolved of the Federal Reserve system of fiat currency, free of it's illegal "strongarm" and money laundering operation known as the I.R.S., free of controversial (if not illegal) wars, and free of the many forces that attempt to deprive us of Constitutional protections. Those are among the tough topics and tough choices that rarely see the light of day within Congress. Those that address them are immediately branded as "radical" and "fringe elements." Don't believe this deception. Our founders were also considered "radicals" when they dissolved our bonds with another elitist authority -- England. This spirit is non-existent today, as we have transferred our authority to a plutocracy. Therefore, we need a united groundswell of libertarianism (a "Resistance" of sorts) and forceful confrontation with state and federal agencies, rather than continue with symbolic partisan demonstrations and lip service. Divided we all fail.

Obama lied and granny is going to die. Obama might be pres but he is still a Socialist and a Fascist that has more crooks surrounding him then even Tricky Dick did. Anyone that would believe a word this man says wears an aluminum foil hat.............God bless America, soon........................

The war is not Bush's war; nor is it Obama's war; it is America's war. Americans, not Republicans, Democrats, Independents, whites, blacks, Christians or otherwise, are fighting and dying in this war. We all need to rally behind the troops, show them our support in every way, and get this war won as soon as possible. After all, we are supposed to be the UNITED States of America. Not the petty, divided, weak, political states of America. Where, oh where, have our patriots gone? They're fighting and dying for the cause of freedom and liberty while so many of the unpatriotic complain. Pathetic.

Silencedogooder, your first part about granny going to die is laughable. Please find the sentence that gives you this info. I know you are only getting your info from people like Sarah Palin who is a joke. She is the one who coined the "death panels", and when somebody challenged her, she could only say "read Obama's plan". The fact is, Obama has no plan, there are 5 plans in Congress, none of which were proposed by Obama. So, you have no facts, only lies.

So far as him being a Socialist and a Fascist, which is it? You can't be both. Maybe you get your info from Nazis and Communists and it is confusing you. Again, you have no facts, only rhetoric and lies.

And the people who are still crying about Acorn. Read the articles on the arrests etc. It is Acorn itself that is turning these crooks over to law enforcement. Not people dug out by conservative scandal mongers, not by Fixx News, not by the Republican party. When a Republican steals (like Cheney and Co.) the gov't covers it up as national security. When they campaign on "family values" and are caught fooling around, none of the other Republicans cries "Hypocrite". They try to hide it like Clinton did and hang on to power. See D. Vitter and Larry Craig, both Republican Senators. When a Democrat does it, then youall scream they should be indicted. Hypocrites, liars and thieves. There must be a good country western song there. So don't keep whining about Acorn, there no there, there.

I hope they start hearings on the CIA crimes. The fingerprints of the Bush/Cheney clique will be all over the denial of rights of Americans. Not the poor saps from the Middle East that we imprisoned without telling them what for, but what they did to American citizens over here. Talk about Fascism, we had 8 years of it and lived. Now for a little dose of Socialism to wash away some of the stench of the Nazis.

Anyone have any idea WHY we went to afghanistan? Take a look at a picture of NY and the twin towers BEFORE 9/11/2001....tell me what you see there now. I wasn't crazy about going into iraq but if it had been done right, we could have been in and out of there as well. When another catastrophic attack hits this country in some form.....let's just apologize to hits us and stick our heads in the ground.

912 Groups met in Washington, DC, Saturday almost 2 million strong. 20,000 912'ers met in Forth Worth, Tx. 33 met in Ellsworth. This was a National day for the 912 groups started by Glenn Beck, who broadcast the rallies from 1-3pm on Fox. These are not Republics, Democrats or Independents, but Americans who are fed up with Washington's out of control spending, corruption, Socialistic/Marxism directions. The federal goverments percentage of the GNP was 3% at the end of 2008; it is now almost 12%!! The goverment owns car companies, banks, insurance companies and wants to destroy Capitalism, which creates jobs. The Stimulus Bill was payback to those who put people in office-$12 billion to Soros' oil company in Brazil for off shore drilling, so we can buy more foreign oil, earmarks to study mice, ...and unemployment continues to rise. China and other countries no longer want to buy are debt, so our own Tresury Dept. is. You can add 5-7% the the weekly unemployment figures for those whose benefits have run out and can no longer be counted, but are still unemployed. More like 15% and over 20% in Michigan. Over 30 Czars!! many with very radical ideas, some avowed communists. The FCC Diversity Czar, Mark Lloyd is opposed to private ownership of the MEDIA (very Ceavaz, Hitler). Bills befor Congress include Gun Control, Cyber Security Act (Internet Control). Obama during his campagin stated he intended to start an Internal Military as strong as our Foreign Military-who do we need to control! Citizen spies can report to flag@whitehouse.com. Any more spending and we will collapse the US dollar; we can't raise enough in taxes for the spending from january to August to pay the interest on our debt! We need some Common Sense in Washington and Augusta.

So I guess these guys want us to give up on finding old Sammy Bin Ladel?????????

Acountian(Acornian) You my friend have obviously drank the Kool-Aid.....................You came out from under your tin foil hat, made you point , and have now gone back under and are all snuggly and warm in your safe place with dreams of the great Obama in your head. By the way, WHERE IS THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE??? Kinda strange The Great Obama has spent one million dollars to defend himself against having to produce it.He does have an open door policy, maybe you should talk to him about it..

Seems as if everyone is forgetting that the United States went into Afghanistan before we went into Iraq, it has been the forgotten war. The war there was started by the former administration of then President Bush/Chaney, not the Obama administration, he has unfortunately chosen to continue it. I do not believe that continuing that war is appropriate and believe that we need to let that Country decide their own leadership. Which they proved prior to 9-11 was supportive of terrorists who attacked the U.S. I was one of the people who supported both the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq based on the information that was given the American public, I am also one of those who now based upon the lies and mis-statements that have come to light have determined that I would not have supported the invasion of Iraq, but I still would have supported a strategic butt kicking in Afghanistan as punishment for their support of Al Queda and then gotten out of there which all of our Allies would have supported as well. Instead we had to go into empire building and forcing our political system on Country's who historically do not share our Anglo-European history. History has shown that no one has successfully occupied Afghanistan and that eventually the occupying forces always leave under duress and I unfortunately believe that this will be another Vietnam in the end. In their eyes we are now an occupying force and they will continue to fight us to the death, no matter how noble we believe our intentions are in their Country.

President Obama was elected by the majority of the electorate of this Country and has only been in the Presidency since January (a short 9 months). Yet many are blaming him for all the failures of the government. I believe based upon the amount of problems that he inherited from the previous administration that he has made good progress (not great). I agree with some of what his platform of reform is, but I strongly do not agree with all of his efforts or policies, but at the same time believe that he has earned the opportunity based upon his majority victory to attempt the changes his administration is attempting. I believe that the minority has a right to appropriate voice of opposition based upon facts, not upon a calculated campaign of spin, innuendo, half-truths and lies. But I guess I am naive in the world of 24/7 news and news entertainment to believe that way.

Comparing President Obama to Hitler or stating lies, half-truths or worse not reading for yourself what is actually being proposed versus listening to what others claim is short sighted and unfair to yourself and to our Country. I am not a liberal or conservative, but simply a moderate American who wants to ensure that all of the people in this Country have the opportunity to live the great American dream (which I have been able to do) and which if you read President Obama's biography he seems to have done as well. The apparent hatred of President Obama by many in this Country seems to be about more than just his political agenda which is actually very, very pragmatic and moderate compared to many past Presidents Republican and Democrat, but that commentary is best left for another day.

By the way don't give me this I don't support the troops...I retired from the military after 20 years service, so don't even think to go down that road because I do support our troops, but I do not have to blindly support the leadership that sends them into harms way. I suggest reading history, reading the actual legislative documents and don't listen to what everyone else says if you haven't done the research for yourself, what you may find out may shock or at least surprise you.

SilenceDogooder - you do not help your cause when you bring up the Birth Certificate argument.

the whole system is so cruel and corrupt, itneeds to change. it's not honest, loving or sustainable. you can't get away with this gross exploitation for profit. it goes against the conscience. some way or another we're feeling the effects of it. we're so much better than this. we deserve so much more than where we're at. think we better figure out a better way to survive. they never put the money where the mouth is and people are dying, suffering, children losing their homes and families being torn apart all for what? $ ?! enough is enough already. this is sick.

JD: at least the quality of SilenceDogooder's arguments are consistent !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5SBX6IUjwk

ElectraGlide-You are absolutely right. The patriotism is gone in this country. Folks complain about what they want and what needs to be done but when it comes down to hitting the grind stone everyone stands there and looks around at each other and then the debate starts. A nation of sissys is what we have become, and it will be our maker. God bless the troops.

Both sides do have good points. I, too, am glad to see advocates for peace no matter who is in the White House authorizing bombing of civilians. Tea baggers are right to be worried about the effect of future tax bills on their children, grandchildren, and beyond. I think the fact they are overlooking, however, is the massive bill for all these wars and occupations. It's about a trillion dollars right now, and climbing. Definitely not affordable. Working to end that situation is the only way government spending will be brought back under control.

Protesters need to find something better to do with their time...

Sarah, Sarah, Sarah......I beleive politicians on both sides are against Sarah....because she cannot be bought.

Thanks outdoorman- I used to wish I was on crack until I decided that yes there is hope now that the Silent Majority that has been listening to all this crap are really going to organize and stand up for this country. Yes I listen to Beck, Rush, Fox and also CNN and NBC. I do not have PTSD but thanks for caring. I`m just angry and not going tp watch the ruination of this country anymore. We have the power in our vote and all we need to do is use it. Enough with the PC, lets bring it on and on and not stop until we show them who the silent majority really is. Sorry about the sticks and stones but you know when your angry enough is enough. 2 and 2 used to equal 4 lets get it back.

You Liberal's are always pointing your fingers how come there is nothing said about the march in Washington last Saturday?

Not one word from any of you Liberal jerks about the march about health Ins. look at the bunch walking alone Main St.

What a bunch of beauties

I thought when obama ran for president he campaigned to end the war in Iraq and bring the troops home, yet we are still spending billions of dollars there.

Thomas Jefferson has warned us, "A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you want."

Local activist Ron Warner - Why do you think that we have the freedom to see what doctor we want or even to openly voice your opinion? Do you think that those people in Iraq could openly voice their opinion prior to Hussein being ousted?

To those prone to post snarky comments on this site, please do a little reading on effective debate techniques. I think you'll learn that you hurt your case when you make demeaning comments, even though it may make your gut feel good.

To my fellow conservatives, the facts are on our side, so as Joe Friday would say, "Just the facts, ma'am." Thanks.

To those on the left - you can't win the argument, so you resort to insults. Please save us all the trouble and find something better to do. Thanks.

Yesman!

These tea baggers certainly deserve our support.

I agree compleltey with their sentiment that we need to get american back to where it was 100 years ago. We have to do away with women's rights, and make sure balcks can no longer drink at our wtaer fountains or marry our women. These liberals have destroyed too much of our country with all the "freedom" and "rights"

NO MORE!!!!!

chemaine - see 8:42 post. "Tea baggers" is a demeaning pejorative that has nothing to do with the Tea Party movement. so cut it out, will ya?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mwbR9gYc7Q

Tea bag parties are what Fox is pushing. What is wrong with that?

Were you out tea bagging to help us revert to our 1909 values? Boy, wasn't life grant then? No women voting, no blacks voting. Hope this protests are successful in undoing a century of progress!

TO: "Cre8RoyalPalm The war WAS NOT started in Iraq!!!

Sorry to break your balloon but I wish you'd check the facts out before writing things that are not true.

We sent troops to Afganistan FIRST. We were in AFGANISTAN eight months before we starting sending troups to Iraq.

Troups were sent to Afganiston in October and Iraq the next year in March.

Saddam had 17 UNITED NATIONS warnings against him and kept breaking them, he was shooting at our planes that weren't in his air space over and over and wouldn't stop. He wouldn't let the inspectors in either for over 2 years and he used "weapons of mass destruction" to kill his own people.

What I ask you to do, is go back and see what President Clinton said about Iraq - it's very interesting reading but is ignored now. Why was Clinton saying we would have to go into Iraq??? I'm old enough to know this stuff and have gone and read up on these things.

AND also check out the FACT that when President Bush became President, we were in a recession and he brought us to the lowest unemployment, highest stock market in history and a housing and economic boom. One of the problems was when our wonderful "Government" banks, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were made to give loans to people that they knew couldn't pay back their loans. The last two years of the Bush Administration was a mess and I was against the first bail-out, didn't go along with his belief on immigration, and the Budget was huge!!!!! But, we also got to remember that the Democrats were in control those last two years. Not that they're all to blame mind you. I blame Bush for not putting his foot down and the Republicans for being too soft. So, now we got this mess! TRILLIONS, just think of it, TRILLIONS of OUR dollars/blank paper that is, and being in debt to China with interest piling up minute by minute. And, what are we doing right here - right now - with all the resourses we have in this Country?????

Folks we could be taking care of ourselves right now. Think about it and lets get to work.

Not to be picky here but couldn't the Bangor Daily News put a picture of both rallies in the paper.

This is the kind of misinformation and misrepresentation being spread by the teabaggers - "$12 billion to Soros' oil company in Brazil for off shore drilling, so we can buy more foreign oil". Truth. It was $2 billion. The $12 billion is the amount the Brazilian oil company is spending on off shore development during the next 5 years. The Export/Import Bank is providing a $2 billion loan. The loan pays for US goods and services to be exported to Brazil. Soros does not own Petrobras. The Brazilian Government does.

This is a small part of the insanity evident in the comments above. Socialism? These commenters haven't got a clue what it is. Most of the teabaggers are racists. Rep. Joe Wilson is just an example that exposes the racist roots of the organization. He is a member of Sons of Confederate Veterans - a group that wants to establish an all white homeland in the deep south and that opposes interracial marriage because its a form of beastiality. His scream - "You Lie" has been shown to itself be a lie based on misinformation. The many irrational comments made here show that their roots are an emotional hatred of Obama who is governing as a moderate republican. That emotional hatred is racism.

Sledman says "Libs want "real security" but they don't want the private industry or private enterprise that provides it." How, most major US corporations are criminal enterprises. At one point a few years ago all 500 corporations in the S&P 500 were guilty of violating federal law. Private enterprise has one goal maximize profits at the expense of the American people. They provide poverty not security.

It's all Bush's fault ;-)

Sledman - my socialsi police department and military provide me pretty good security!

I do not know why Joe Wilson apologized to the president, Joe Wilson was right lies lies lies, now ( do u see the look on Nancy Pelosi's face when Joe Wilson made the remarks!!!!!!!!! She looked like she was in shock. Now she and her party want him to apologized to the floor and he said NO HE WOULD NOT, GOOD GOING JOE WILSON YOU ARE THE MAN

Again here, "JonAlbrecht", you are not well informed in much of your statements.

First and most importantly, I am NOT and never have been a racist. Neither are any of the people that I'm associated with are racists.

Secondly, we are Independants, Libertarians, Republicans, and yes Democrats!! I know this to be true because I'm associated with Democrats.

So, please, just stop with the "LIES". It's my American right to get out there and say what I believe. It's called "free speech" And I don't need to be called a racist for doing so. So, you see, you are lying. Or to put it bluntly. You're a liar! Sorry, but the shoe sure fits you. So sad. Oh, and I'm not insane and I am educated. I don't hate our President but I do not like the agenda that is being shoved down our throats.

In a joint session of congress, which is usually NOT televised, you wouldn't have the hoopla that was witnessed. Now, how is it fair for one side to hollar "Yay", "whooo-hooo" and "yell" they way they were doing when they agreed, and for the other side to sit still and not voice ANY opinion. Look back in history at these meetings. Both sides were able to boo or yay. In fact, not too many years ago, the Democrats booed the President at the "State of the Union Address. But in your opinion I'm sure you don't see the wrong in that. The news media is being very unfair also and it shows.

"Joe Wilson was right lies lies lies, now "

Really? What specifically of Obama's speech was a lie?

Sad that people so stupid as you are allowed to vote.

I CAN'T BELIEVE SOMEONE CALLED A "VIETNAM VETERAN" WHO DIDN'T ASK TO BE THERE, AN IDIOT, TO SHUT UP, AND GET OVER IT!!!!!

EVIDENTLY "BIGBOY" WASN'T THERE TO GO THROUGH THE HORROR OR BE A TUNNEL RAT OR DIDN'T KNOW WHEN HE WOULD BE KILLED OR CAPTURED. YOU DON'T JUST COME HOME AND...........GET OVER IT!!!! AND, I'M APPALLED AT THIS STATEMENT!!! I KNOW TOO MANY VEITNAM VETERANS THAT COME HOME WITH THE NIGHTMARES OF BEING THERE.

And, maybe I can leave it up to you to recruit all the millions of more Doctors, Nurses, and Medical Equipment needed for all these millions of people which by the way, isn't 40 million people. There are some people that don't want health care because they pay for their own. And under the constitution, if "everyone" is covered, then it would be mandatory to cover people here illegally. Everybody means everybody!! Not as if they don't run across the border and get free medical now and rush here to have their babies so that they are American citizens because they do. All the millions of people on welfare have already got free health care, food stamps, a check everymonth, housing, etc.

I will agree with you on Afganistan - Bring our brave boys, men, and women home now. You don't go to war and read prisioners their mirandar rights on the battlefield. Period!!

Read the Bill: Illegal Immigrants Are NOT Covered!

http://www.opencongress.org/articles/view/1210-Read-the-Bill-Illegal-Immigrants-Are-NOT-Covered

To Bangorian: Of course people were chanting Glen Beck's name because his one of a very few that is exposing the corruption in this nation right now. Both parties are so corrupt we are losing of rights. I thank God for Glen Beck because he stands up for the people and whats right. He looks for the truth and not for a party or a special interest. I know it is easy to kill the messenger but it doesn't solve the problem it just pushes it down the road to blow up at a later date. Which maybe too late because of the wide spread corruption and destruction which is has been occuring in the halls of congress and the White House for years.

You are right "bogger"

Glenn is one of the very few that will expose anyone no matter of who they are or what party they are from.

This man had nothing! He was a drug abuser, an alcholic, and afflicted with A.D.D. He got tired of being sick and tired and pulled "himself up by his bootstraps and made something of himself. I never heard of Glenn Beck until a couple years ago. He was against much of the Bush agenda as I was.

Namely, not properly protecting our borders, immigration, and the big spending budget in the last couple years. And you are right that both parties are very corrupt. This corruption is what is upsetting so many Americans like me and I intend to protest as long as I can against it!!!

And why hasn't the corruption, fraud, and mis-management been addressed years before this. And why hasn't this administration started cracking down on it 8 months ago!!!! ???

"And why hasn't this administration started cracking down on it 8 months ago"

maybe for the same reason the previous administration did nothing for the 96 months it was in power?

And the administration before the 96 months of the Bush years?????

This has been going on for decades and I'm not just writing this for the fun of it. I know from experience. A young woman with 2 children came into my office one day and said she was just denied "more" money and was rip-roaring mad. It wasn't her children she had in mind. She said "it's my birthday and I needed that extra money"!!!!!! Another young person got disability for "panic attacks"! This young (late twentys) person gets a check, food stamps, housing, FREE HEALTH CARE AND COUNCELING", etc. and is living better comparitively than I was. Renting campsss (plurel) buying a carriage for the dog, casino, fairs, tattoes, crowed malls, driving, dancing, bowling, movies, restaurants etc.. She can do everything...but....WORK!! And we're paying for these people's fun. I could go on and on with just my stories and you could tell me stories and the next person could tell stories of the abuse going on here. And now for years and years, through all administrations, nothing is being done about it!!!!

Did you know that Massachuesetts gives some of their homeless people "ONE WAY" tickets to Maine????? Because it's so easy to get on Welfare here?

And you wonder why we are so fed up and want REAL change! I don't want someone coming to my house day after day asking for a cup of sugar when they are too lazy to get of their butts and get it themselves!!!!

To: ann_of_MDI

Regardless of the bill Ann, under the constitution, if you give health care to all, it means "all" and they know this.

There are truly on about 10 million who are not insured and I agree we need to over-haul this present system!!

We need to be able to get health insurance where-ever we want to just like we do our car insurance. Don't you check around for the best Automobile price out there???? I do. I have my home-owners under a local company who gets it from an out-of-state company at a very reasonable price. Every person should be allowed to pick from the health insurance company that they want and there are 1,400 of them out there instead of restricting us. This way there would be competition and competitive prices. My Mom and Dad had a whole slew of companies to choose which prescription drug company they wanted to go with and each was offering different prices.

Let's all pretend.

Let's pretend that we don't all have to pay, via higher taxes, for the ER visits by the uninsured, and have not been paying for them all along.

Let's pretend that we don't and have not been paying for the ER visits by illegal immigrants all along, and will continue to do so, so long as there is no heath care reform.

Let's pretend that the heath insurance companies have not been posting record profits for the last two decades, because they are not required to be bothered to cover anyone that might cot them a little more. Let's pretend that the heath insurance companies don't drop people left and right who actually ARE covered, and HAVE been covered for years, as soon as they get sick.

Let's pretend that our congress, democrats and republicans alike, hasn't been bought off by the mega lobbyists, like the heath care insurance industry and the pharmaceutical industry.

Let's pretend that our Supreme Court has not ruled that CORPORATIONS have the same "inalienable" God-given rights that the Constitution specifically states belong to individual HUMANS, and that many of these corporations have majority shareholders that are actually foreign governments, some of which are totalitarian regimes. All so that people with stock options can keep making an easy buck on the rest of our backs.

Let's pretend that the deficit is not impacted by having a heath care system that is predatory, poorly regulated, and reserved for the rich and the lucky.

And let's pretend that all this is acceptable.

gailylouise good points, many I 've made before myself. Wait until the defenders (maybe they're recipients) read it though. There will be some backlash. I work in a hospital and see the abuse everyday. If our state hadn't allowed all this abuse over the last several years, we may not be in the predicament we are now. Welfare is a crutch and should not be used for a multigenerational purpose. CRAZY. Our state doesn't feel it wise to investigate these people? Just make us all pay instead.

I'd like to see the percentage of people protesting the war who actually have a job, versus the number of people with jobs protesting the governments' taxation issue. My guess is about 10-15% for the former and 85-90% for the latter. Man up and vote out the incumbents. It's the only time their hearing in unimpaired by the money they're roling in.

I saw it put this way once and it is so appropos..."we have an administration who erred on the side of a few to protect many and we now have an admistration who is erring on the side of many to protect a few". Which would you rather have? I found that to be a very good question.

I've listen to Glen Beck and pray for him every night. This guy is exposing corrupt goverment and it doesn't matter what party it is....To me this is a true patriot. Obama was going to unite the country....but I feel he has divided us more than ever. Shame on you BANGOR DAILY NEWS for not covering the tea parties....oh excuse me...you couldn't post two pictures......What ever happened to journalism?

chemaine and anne - there is currently no mechanism to ensure that illegal immigrants DO NOT recieve health care insurance. Though Mr. Obama may have been techically accurate in his assertion last Wednesday, there is no reason to believe that American taxpayers will not be paying to ensure illegal immigrants. Ever heard of sanctuary cities and states (such as Maine)? In fact, even Democrats in Congress and the White House are now responding to Mr. Wilson's bold, even tactless, assertion by reducing the number they quote as uninsured to 30 million and are as we speak cobbling amendments to specifically block illegal immigrants from receiving this benefit.

The jig is up!

AionCA - I like your clever argument. I am no fan of mega-corporations as they truly pull the strings that run this country, yet unlike the government, they do not point a gun at me every April 15 and say "PAY UP"!

LilMikey - that is a very simplistic assertion. You can do better then that. Try again.

The US knew Saddam Hussein had weopons of mass distruction.

We still have the receipts.

I for one was at the Walk for Real Security, banging my drum for peace.

If we can afford endless war, we can afford healthcare for all.

HR 676 Single Payer Healthcare now!

3:37 pm and 5:59 pm, both of you should just stick to reading tea leaves.

So big deal he voted against the war, is he a hero? Did he serve in the service? I can just see him running back. COWARD

What, are you upset that Obama didnt start another war to pump up your patriotic spirit drc480?

And isnt it funny, that W. Bush and Cheney who never served in war time, were so gun ho to send our troops to war.

And then when the troops were in Iraq, W. Bush would say things like "Bring em on," taunting possible Middle East nationals to take up arms against our own troops.

So nice, I'm posting it twice! More teabagger antics: "Tea party" photo shows huge crowd — at different event" http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2009/sep/14/tea-party-photo-shows-large-crowd-different-event/

Here's some links for you anne that I think you'll get a kick out off at the recent protest in DC

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1I9xsV-g9Y

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHVwrCzRUX0&feature=PlayList&p=F8FFE63CCFBDA406&index=1

Thanks blueskies, I saw that on Rachel last night. The teabaggers are so stupid they don't even know when they're being punked.

Oh was it?, dang I missed it, I had to work an overnight. Not sure why Im still up truthfully.

But ya, No doubt, it makes me want to get a tux and a top hat for the next tea party rally.

Billionaires for wealthcare!

Let them eat Advil! Hehe.

Some of you sound like you should have been in Washington for the "Million Moron March!"

If you're going to be angry, you might as well be angry with those at fault - the greedheads on Wall St. who caused the recession and cost us 10 million jobs, the insurance companies robbing you blind, the Bush administration for giving all our money to their rich friends and blowing what was left on their stupid and illegal war of choice. If you'd pay attention to facts instead of making up delusional tirades against Obama, you'd save your hot air and get some results. If you are angry and threatened because we have a duly elected black president, find the guts to say so. You're not fooling anyone.

Million Moron March indeed.

"AionCA - I like your clever argument. I am no fan of mega-corporations as they truly pull the strings that run this country, yet unlike the government, they do not point a gun at me every April 15 and say "PAY UP"!

Yesman, I understand and agree with your frustration with the tax situation (PLEASE believe me, sincerely and sorely, I do !)

But the cold hard reality is that the mega corporations don't have to point the gun at us to take our hard earned money - they have lobbyists in Washington to get the government to do it FOR them, and on their behalf. The health insurance industry COULD have covered EVERYONE, and still made massive profits.

They chose NOT to, because it would cut into their bottom-line. They CHOOSE to drop insured people when they get sick, and to not cover some people at all, to not offer them ANY coverage whatsoever, for the same reason. They have made their huge profits by passing-off the costs of health care onto the public for a long time now, since none of us wants (or should want ) to live in a nation that refuses ER treatment to anybody in need.

My point is, we all pay, in the form of higher taxes for the uninsured already, and have been all along; it's one of the reasons the cost of health care has spiraled out of control for decades now.

When the president speaks of cutting waste in the system, he isn't just talking about fraud, he's talking about the consequence of the uninsured not being able to get proper check-ups and preventative treatment and advice/assistance while their medical problems are relatively minor, BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GO TO THE ER for an emergency.

Please, people, if you do not understand one thing about the heath care debate, please please please please please understand THIS :

Preventative medicine saves HUGE dollars - BUT it does not generate huge profits for the health care industry !

We CAN break this cycle of illness and huge industry profits at the expense of our health as a nation, but we NEED reform, and we NEED it now.

Why is every Liberal blaming the Bush'es Administration for every problem that Obama has, blame Obama for his commie Acorn's for spending ton's of money for, and for the so called Million Moron March, dan I bet if it was for a million black man's march you would be going to washington and join the march

dan, go out and get a job at Burger King. I think they pay for the Health Ins