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[Pot Odds RAC 23]

Hey, it it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, doesn't matter what nationality points it out, its still a freaking duck. So, you're saying it's ok for those of us who were born here to criticize our government, but *visitors* (and sorry, a *visit* is kind of a temp type thing, not a move here and reside thing) aren't allowed to? Gosh, aren't we just a bit uppity?

"Yes" to both of your questions.Again, I respect Daniel and his point of view. From everything I have seen he is an amazing poker player and even better person. I just get a little steamed by celebrities entering into political debates - even those with whom I agree. But they are certainly entitled to their opinions.

[irishguy 14]

First off, you've got it a litttle backwards. The fact that the man earns money here REQUIRES him to pay taxes. Our Constitution grants certain Rights and Privlidges to our Citizens. His payment of taxes entitles him to nothing.I made it pretty clear that I was NOT denying him an opinion. I am saying that he is being a bit of a hypocrite and very poor visitor by taking advantage of our opportunities, but then disrespecting his hosts.

Tomatoe tomato I suppose...I believe that by contributing to the society in the US with tax dollars he should be entitled to voice where and how those dollars are used and how he views systems within the government are functioning. I'm not sure if he is a citizen of the US or not but certainly residing there for a number of years and being married to an American affords him the status of being more than just a "visitor".

[showstopper24 0]

I think the great part of a blog, is that the writer can call someone a ****** bag and get away with it

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

I think the great part of a blog, is that the writer can call someone a ****** bag and get away with it

Absloutely......but it also produces "Internet Balls"Again,being a visitor myself in Daniel's Virtual Home, I would not begrudge him his Point of View - and am certainly not implying he has grown a set of Internet Nuts

[Balloon guy 158]

It is funny that DN's website won't allow the word to be displayed.Kind of ironic

[icemanrulz 0]

ok I went to the site and looked to see who from my home state voted for it. all of them exept the ones from the city of detroit. both dems & rep voted for it so maybe it is not just frist and the republicans but all of congress who are complete jerk offs. so lets not just blame one party but both. just goes to show term limits are needed so we don't get congressmen that are such tools.just look and they think poker is badWASHINGTON, DC -- A new investigation reveals an astonishingly large number of wife-beaters, drunks, shoplifters, check-bouncers, business failures, and drug abusers in the U.S. House and Senate -- which ought to make Americans think carefully before turning to Washington, DC for moral leadership, the Libertarian Partysaid today."Mark Twain once said Congress may be America's only 'distinct criminal class' -- and this new study suggests he was correct," said Steve Dasbach, the party's national director. "If even half these charges are true, expecting Congress to serve as a moralrole model is like asking Bill Clinton to serve as a poster boy for monogamy."According to an investigation by Capitol Hill Blue, an online publication that covers federal politics, a remarkable number of U.S.Representatives and U.S. Senators may have spent as much time in a jail cell as on Capitol Hill.After researching public records, newspaper articles, civil court transcripts, and criminal records, Capitol Hill Blue discovered that:* 29 members of Congress have been accused of spousal abuse.* 7 have been arrested for fraud.* 19 have been accused of writing bad checks.* 117 have bankrupted at least two businesses.* 3 have been arrested for assault.* 71 have credit reports so bad they can't qualify for acredit card.* 14 have been arrested on drug-related charges.* 8 have been arrested for shoplifting.* 21 are current defendants in lawsuits.* And in 1998 alone, 84 were stopped for drunk driving, but released after they claimed Congressional immunity.Capitol Hill Blue did not list the names of all the individual members of Congress accused of the various crimes, but did note that some were "serial offenders" with extensive tracks records of fraud or violence.For example, reported Capitol Hill Blue, Rep. Corrine Brown (D-FL) has a "long, consistent record of deceit," including tens of thousands of dollars in unpaid bills, allegations of bribery, and numerous lawsuits against her. And Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA) faces charges that he beat his wife, has a history of barroom brawls while mayor of Alexandria, and has publicly stated that he likes "to hit people.""With a rap sheet like that, you have to wonder why Americans expect Congress to solve the problem of crime -- since Congress seems to be causing so much crime," said Dasbach. "In fact, if this study is correct, the best way to cut crime may be to lock up Congress and throw away the key."And given the obvious economic incompetence of so many Senators and Representatives, you have to wonder why voters trust them with the federal budget, he said."Here are politicians who routinely bankrupt businesses, write bad checks, engage in fraudulent practices, and have bad credit," said Dasbach. "That could explain why the country is more than $5 trillion in debt, why federal programs are so wasteful, andwhy taxes are always going up. Are these really the kind of economically illiterate people we want to trust with our money?" If nothing else, said Dasbach, the Capitol Hill Blue investigation may help puncture the myth that Senators and Representatives are somehow superior to ordinary Americans, or better equipped to solve the nation's problems. "By its very nature, politics tends to attract venal people who crave power, who want to control the lives of other people, and who think they are above the law," he noted. "This study makes thatpoint clear -- and illustrates that when it comes to politicians, the only thing worse than their voting records are their criminalrecords."

[Santzes 0]

That PPA Sign Up page gives me an error:* Other State: This field takes letters (A-Z upper/lowercase), numbers (0-9), spaces, and apostrahies only.I selected other state from listbox ('cause I live in finland), wrote "Mikkeli" (without "-characters) and doesn't work.. Doesn't work if I leave it empty, or select Not Applicable I already sent them an email, but does that sign-up work for anyone else living outside US here?

FYI, they replied me. If you live outside us and can't write your state because it gives state error, just select any state and mail them to change it.

[Loismustdie 0]

guys, in all fairness, the piggybacking of unrelated bills for the purposes of garnering political support from religious/economic/social groups at the end of a congressional term has been done a LOT, and by both parties. while i do agree with the fact that frist is a douchebag, it has more to do with the fact that he is two things: first, a politician, generally; second, a former trained medical doctor who stated publically last year that he had doubts that AIDS could not be transmitted by touch, kissing, etc. at the behest of the christian right.it's a trait common to all "democracies" that its citizens will not express distaste for its government or a general trend therein until it directly affects them in some way. the piggybacking of bills at the ends of congressional terms has happened more times than we all can count (cards). it's only now that we've been made aware of the practice, since it's only now that it's really pissing us off. that's fine, and it shouldn't affect how much we are pissed off, but everyone should know that it's happened numerous times before.it's also important that everyone know that i still think frist's a douchebag.

And he may well be- and I should have been the first to point out that you what you said, in that bills are piggybacked all of the time, by both parties, and it's quite common. My point was that as a group- and DN as the acknowledged leader of that group, as far as this site goes- we can do a better job of expressing what and how we feel, especially about topics that are serious like this and that matter on so many levels- much more so to DN than you and I. Whether a douchebag or not, doesn't really matter. The focus should be on the issues, and the pointless name calling left out.

[cu in 4years Dan 1]

I realize that this is the way things get done, and has been for a long time (anyone ever see Mr. Smith goes to Washington??). We aren't going to change that by being PC and saying "excuse me but I don't like this". We're going to get it changed by banding together and shouting "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore".

yes calling him a ****** bag is going to make alot of change.go to frist and call him a ****** bag and see how far that gets you.

[Steppin Razor 0]

Daniel is certainly entitled to his opinions. I do have a slight problem with a visitor to our country who moved and is living here because he cannot make as good of a living in his own country then criticizing our system and even encouraging political action for his own self-interests. Anybody here ever try to go to Canada to make a living. Good luck with that, they won't even let you over the border. Again, each is entitled to his opinion, but I have little patience with visitors taking full advantage of our opportunities and at the same time disrespeting our system and calling our leaders "Douchebags".

How long does one have to be here before they can have an opinion? My dad's been here longer than you've been alive, can he have one? You're right about one thing though, how dare he encourage political action? This is not some kind of democracy for the people and by the people. People are supposed to be apathetic. Don't vote or die! At the very least, if you're going to vote, it had damn well be for something you have no interest in.

the piggybacking of bills at the ends of congressional terms has happened more times than we all can count (cards). it's only now that we've been made aware of the practice, since it's only now that it's really pissing us off.

Hey, speak for yourself, I know how government works. Of course it's happened before, that's how congressmen get the prizes they take back to their districts/states to say, 'see what I got for you'. And since I was born here, Frist is a douchebag.

The focus should be on the issues, and the pointless name calling left out.

First of all, name calling is never pointless. And second, douchebaggery is the issue.

[Pot Odds RAC 23]

How long does one have to be here before they can have an opinion? My dad's been here longer than you've been alive, can he have one? You're right about one thing though, how dare he encourage political action? This is not some kind of democracy for the people and by the people. People are supposed to be apathetic. Don't vote or die! At the very least, if you're going to vote, it had damn well be for something you have no interest in.

Did you actually read my posts?Is your dad a citizen? If not, then NO he does not deserve a voice in American politics and is NOT represented in out system and is NOT entitled to Constitutional rights. I don't give a poop how long he's been here.Yes he can have an opinion. ..and I still object to a non-citizen attempting to engage in or influence our politics to their own best interests. Especially when they are blatantly taking advantage of an opportunity to live a "Rock Star" lifestyle that they could never hope to obtain in their own home country. It is hypocritical.Hope that helps.

[Steppin Razor 0]

Did you actually read my posts?Is your dad a citizen? If not, then NO he does not deserve a voice in American politics and is NOT represented in out system and is NOT entitled to Constitutional rights. I don't give a poop how long he's been here.Yes he can have an opinion.

Really? Immigrants are not entitled to Consitutional rights? No freedom of speech or religion? No right to a fair and speedy trial? Immigrants can be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment?Permanent residents can donate to political campaigns, that makes them non-citizens with a voice in politics.Not that it matters, but my dad is a citizen.

..and I still object to a non-citizen attempting to engage in or influence our politics to their own best interests. Especially when they are blatantly taking advantage of an opportunity to live a "Rock Star" lifestyle that they could never hope to obtain in their own home country. It is hypocritical.Hope that helps.

Yeah, 'cause the US never tries to influence politics in other countries. And I suggest you look up the word hypocrisy, because living in a place and speaking your mind is not it.

[KONGOS 0]

Really? Immigrants are not entitled to Consitutional rights? No freedom of speech or religion? No right to a fair and speedy trial? Immigrants can be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment?Permanent residents can donate to political campaigns, that makes them non-citizens with a voice in politics.Not that it matters, but my dad is a citizen. Yeah, 'cause the US never tries to influence politics in other countries. And I suggest you look up the word hypocrisy, because living in a place and speaking your mind is not it.

[AKoffsuit 0]

It had to be put in such blunt simple terms, what Frist is pushing is just plain wrong on the many levels that DN addressed. You aren't going to get any argument out of me, fine post.

Agreed.

[Loismustdie 0]

Agreed.

Except online poker- well, technically illegal. That's why they use the dot net for commercials. The more I think about it, the more I think this will lead to good things in the long run.

[NoSup4U 0]

After reading this thread, I'm kind of surprised everyone is all upset about the douchebag comment, but nobody took offense to the Sally Stuthers comment? Apparently the plight of online poker players here is much more important than the plight of impovershed children around the world? I don't really understand that comment?And I'm with Balloon guy, ironic all the discussion lately about the government 'legislating morality' on a site that tells me I can't view the word **** apparently :)Mark