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Not sure that works out, Buck. You can't assume that, because I think it's okay to ID for voting purposes, I also believe it's okay to show ID for anything and everything we're told to. You're being an alarmist.

To suggest that we "don't get it" because we don't agree with your conclusion is, I'd suggest, rather presumptuous. I simply don't have any sort of problem with requiring people to pull out their IDs at the polling station. I'd say choosing the next leader is pretty important -- and the decision ought to be ensured to have been made rightly and properly by citizens who actually have the right to do so.

the wiretapping involved here doesn't violate the constitution. You'd be, presumably, referring to the "search and seziure" clause -- but it's arguable that it applies. I'd say it does not. There is no constitutional right to privacy. Perhaps there should be, but there isn't.

Having been a poll watcher before, I have never witnessed the dead or illegals vote. 50 years ago, the system was so corrupt that kind of thing was a problem. Today the problem is more an issue of disenfranchisement than voter fraud. You have a constitutional right to reasonably exercise the rights of citizenship without having to "show your papers". Now, of course, there are plenty of exceptions and personally I don't see anything wrong with showing ID to vote. However, I would not be surprised if it were ruled as unconstitutional. Without checking IDs, how would you know?

Many people who've paid attention are already aware of this. It started with Clinton, or at least, continued during his tenure. During the discussions on the Patriot Act, Bush made it plain that certain wiretapping of calls placed to known terrorists from inside the US would be tapped. I still don't have a problem with it.

I don't see it as being that important an issue, to be honest. I'd take 12 Romneys before even 1 Huckabee -- and I'm a Fred supporter!

Personally, I don't have any problem with the notion either. I think the problem is that its probably unconstitutional. Similarly, I would like to see significant restrictions on how money, specifically special interest and corporate money is used in elections. The problem with that is that its unconstitutional. Same thing with the line item veto. Voting is a right, not a privilege like say driving a car, thus what are reasonable requirements for driving a vehicle are not from a constitutional perspective reasonable requirements for voting. Voting -is- a right -- for citizens. I'd like to see a demonstrable hardship for people before ruling out the ID system. Personally I think Hillary hates the idea because it rules out the dead and illegals.

When it became a politically expedient way to require national IDs for citizens. Don't let her hemming and hawing fool you... this woman has a very clear plan -- and I've no doubt that national IDs have long been part of it.

Actually, if you look at where they governed (MA and mayor of NYC, two liberal strongholds) and study what they accomplished while in their respective offices, you'd see that Rudy and Mitt are actually more conservative than Huckabee and Thompson. Thompson is dead in the water; a major disappointment. I still maintain that Hilary will get in on the Dem's side and Rudy on the other side, although my hope would be for Mitt to get the nomination. I think, however, that is unlikely. I disagree on Thompson's campaign. We have some movement, and I think he'll surprise you. I agree re: Mitt v. Huckabee. Knowing Huck's positions on a lot of things, and his record, I'm appalled he's doing as well as he is in the Republican arena. I actually like Mitt quite a bit, but I disagree with MassCare. That's really the biggest thing. If his change is true on abortion (and there's no real reason to believe it's not) he could be a good one. Rudy did accomplish quite a bit, but policy-wise he's been very liberal. His recent conversion to the 2nd Amendment, I don't buy -- especially since he seems not to even know what it is. I just don't buy "he was as conservative as you can be for New York". He's pro-abortion, which, by itself, certainly removes him from my consideration in the primary. Don't really see where you could reasonably say either one is "more conservative" than Thompson though. The record disagrees. Hillary probably will get in on the Dem side... the Clinton machine is almost too large for her not to. Giuliani's slipping, by quite a bit. Conservatives don't like him. Reasonably so.

As the pundits say, it's just too early to count anyone out. Edwards just doesn't have enough stamina -- or hair gel -- to keep up with Obama and Hillary. Of the two, Hillary is starting to crack up a bit (do a Yahoo news search on Hillary Clinton and Oil prices), so it may go to Obama by default (sanity always makes for a better candidate). I sincerely hope Thompson gets the Republican nod. Giuliani's too liberal on social issues, and Huck's too liberal on everything else. If Romney is where he says he is on the issues, he might be alright(though I really don't like the health plan he implemented in Mass) I'm just still not sure I trust him.

In response: http://independentthinking.wordpress.com/2...-calls-it-news/ to the admin -- this is my personal blog. If there is something there that you prefer not be linked, let me know. thanks.

There was also no evidence that it -isn't- working. It's a useless report, because we don't have a record of methodology; we don't know what metrics were used; we don't know how data was collected and collated, nor what data. It's just not responsible to take this report seriously without knowing these basics.

Fred Thompson Ron Paul Duncan Hunter Sounds about right... except that I wouldn't vote for Paul based on foreign policy. I love the guy on just about everything else, though.

Shalom Artsy, Who said a thing about "beating"? That's twisting things. Spanking is love. Training up a child in the way he/she should go. A loving parent uses spanking as a training method. There is no "beating" involved, so let's not get things muddled. If I'm not mistaken, I believe they're discussing Axxman's idea that the word "Beat" in the Bible is not "beat", and that it somehow isn't a pro-spanking part of Scripture. One of the other definitions for it, evidently, is "applaud" which, in context, is of course nonsense. I believe that's what they're getting at.

It has not... and I'll deal with my own children how I see fit. The government doesn't run my house; I do. Spanking doesn't teach children that it's okay to be violent, nor is it violence. It is reinforcement. And, since you brought it up, yeah... it is discussed in scripture. So, is God wrong on this one? Perhaps He needs "Parenting lessons"? I agree, spanking is not banned. In fact, if you are adopting and tell the social worker thats doing the home study that you spank, its not going to preclude you from adopting or anything. So even Social Workers don't fully disapprove of it. Arkansas, where I am from originally, still paddles in school. Now that's interesting. I didn't know there were any State social workers that approved (or at least, didn't wholly disapprove) of spanking. I certainly didn't know there were still schools that did it. Do you know whether they're at least required to contact the parents? I think in many cases, even if spanking is looked down on, agencies look for physical signs of harm (bruising, etc) before meting out punishment.