Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

check and mate........mr and mrs check, please.......

patsi.......thanks large sizes for the article.....send more as they appear........

there's an article you might like on nashville by marshall chapman in the latest issue of "Garden and Gun" magazine.......it's more garden than gun, dont let the gun part fool ya.........

The Pollster.com chart of Fla. -

http://www.pollster.com/polls/fl/08-fl-pres-ge-mvo.php

The last time McCain was ahead in a poll in Fla. was 10 days ago.

The New Mexico is tied line is bullshit -

http://www.pollster.com/polls/nm/08-nm-pres-ge-mvo.php

"What makes the Obama story so powerful isn't just the fact that as a half-white, half-black man, his public journey to the top visibly tied together some of the more painful frayed ends of our past. It's that he ran his race with dignity and honor against people who didn't return the favor, facing a succession of opponents who feared losing more than shame and gave in to pretty much every possible temptation to go low and appeal to the worst in us.

I didn't always see it at the time. But thinking back on it now, I realize what an extraordinary accomplishment his getting this far has been. A man who wasn't great would have blown this a hundred times along the way. So would a person who wasn't extremely lucky. The historical seas literally parted for this Obama guy, with inconceivable idiocy and villainy littering the political shores on either side of him as he ascended to the pantheon of all-time American heroes simply by walking straight ahead and not being a dick. Looking back at my campaign notebooks, here are a few of the most memorable moments that illustrate the odd journey."
---Matt Taibbi, in Rolling Stone Magazine

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/23947840/my_campaign_memories

Vote flipping in Colorado.

"An electronic voting machine in Adams County repeatedly failed to accept a vote for a Democratic state Senate candidate — instead registering the vote for her Republican opponent — at an early voting site last week and has been removed from service, the Aurora Sentinel reports Wednesday. Adams County Clerk and Recorder Karen Long told the newspaper the error doesn’t reflect wider problems in the county’s voting systems, but the candidate said the incident could lead to a lawsuit. “I always just trusted the machines, and it opened my eyes,” said state Rep. Mary Hodge. “The way it works now, I’m told … is that those votes throw it to Mr. Hadfield that we’ll probably have a lawsuit and a court decision. We’ll have to wait and see.” Hodge, the Democratic nominee, faces Republican Robert John Hadfield in the race to represent state Senate District 25. ... “I have quarantined the machine,” Long told the newspaper. “It’s removed and it’s sealed up and it’s in a bag.” She said she is awaiting instructions from the secretary of state’s office."

http://www.pubrecord.org/component/content/443.html?task=view

More Colorado disenfranchisement stopped.

" Tens of thousands of Coloradans who had been removed from the state’s voter rolls will be allowed to vote in next week’s election and given extra protections so their ballots are counted, under an agreement reached late Wednesday in federal court here.

The voters’ names had been removed by Mike Coffman, the Colorado secretary of state, who said he did so because the voters had moved out of state or were listed more than once on the rolls. But Mr. Coffman was sued by a coalition of voting rights and other groups who said such purges were generally prohibited by federal law within 90 days of an election.

Under the agreement, voters removed from the rolls will be permitted to cast provisional ballots, and those ballots will be counted unless election officials can prove the voters were not eligible. To strike such ballots, county election officials must conduct an extensive records review on each one, a decision that must then be reviewed by Mr. Coffman’s office.

“This is unprecedented,” said Elizabeth Westfall, a lawyer for the Advancement Project, a civil rights group that helped file the lawsuit. “We are really thrilled that there will be this degree of unprecedented scrutiny and protection for these purged voters when they cast their provisional ballots.”

Mr. Coffman issued a statement Thursday saying he still believed that Colorado’s election practices adhered to federal law and that “our goal has always been to have a system in place where every voter, who has the legal right to cast a ballot, is allowed to do so.”

Edward B. Foley, a law professor at Ohio State University and an authority on voting litigation nationwide, said the settlement was noteworthy because many states had put the onus on voters to prove that their provisional ballots were legitimate before they could be counted. The settlement shifts this responsibility to the state, Mr. Foley said, and is more in keeping with the spirit of the federal Help America Vote Act of 2002, which calls for election officials to count a provisional ballot if they can determine the voter’s eligibility. "

http://reconstitution.us/rcnew/?p=2832#respond

Tony u might want to try to highlite, then right click, copy, get back here, then once u r in the comments, hit enter in order to leave space, then right click and paste

Posted by: SolarCrete | October 30, 2008 10:34 PM

Thanks.I finally got it.

"....Obama has 60 offices and about 500 paid staffers."

craig, just curious but how many of those do you think are converted hrc offices/staffers and how many are bho originals?

Sturge, those articles Marshall wrote for Garden & Gun are great...and that's for letting me know about the magazine. I wasn't aware of it!

Seems like old peace loving Cindy Sheehan is battling a unseen enemy. Where is Code Pink when she needed them?

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=prnw.20081030.LATH152&show_article=1

"...electronic voting machine in Adams County repeatedly failed to accept a vote for a Democratic state Senate candidate — instead registering the vote for her Republican opponent."

anon para, wonder if this was a diebold machine. also wonder how many precincts in florida still have them?

here's a recent article re worrisome machine flaws:
http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/voting-groups-w.html

patsi......it's a pretty nice little mag all in all.....roy blount, pat conroy, etc......my daughter is in line to intern there in the spring........

Craig--typo, line 10--Florida

patd...

Diebold, Ess , they all are hackable and prone to vote flipping. Including optical scanners that count the votes.

Read the links as they tell about how the GEM where there counted drops thousands of votes and nobody gets told about it.

*line 13, too

"my daughter is in line to intern there in the spring........"

Very cool...especially the living in Charleston part. One of my favorite cities anywhere.....

oops---I meant 14

With so much attention being paid to the election you may have missed this article. Your 401k or similar retirement program maybe taken over by the government. This would greatly expands your chances of crossing over the magic threshold marker of being tagged as "rich".

http://tinyurl.com/say-goodbye-401k

patd...

Yep...

That's the GEM I'm talking about from your link.

There sure trying to steal another one.

Gotta run, see you all later.

Some Far Left Leaning Liberals do not sound very confident.

http://tinyurl.com/Libs-going-to-the-mattresses

``This election is cooked and done, it's in the warming tray,'' said Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

McCain ``is as desperate as a candidate can be,'' said Stu Rothenberg, editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report in Washington. ``Less than five days to go and McCain's trailing in half a dozen states of which he can't afford to lose any: Nevada, Florida, Ohio, Colorado, Virginia and North Carolina.''

Illinois Senator Obama yesterday highlighted new government figures showing the sharpest contraction of the economy since 2001, a harbinger of what could be the worst recession since 1981-82. Arizona Senator McCain, meanwhile, was mum on the latest economic news showing the gross domestic product shrank at a 0.3 percent pace from July to September.

`Final Nail'

Those latest figures, Sabato said, are ``the final nail in McCain's coffin.''

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601070&sid=ag17JxMZqRw4&refer=home

As far as the Obama in Virginia story goes, we now have two offices in my small county, canvassers are going out every weekend and there have been more canvassers than ever before, people who have never gotten involved in any campaign before are now reporting for weekly phone banks and the phone banks are so busy that people are sitting and phoning from outside the office because there are so many people inside.

Sarah Palin comes to red, red, red Fredericksburg and attracts a crowd of 6000 people. Barack Obama comes to red, red, red Fredericksbug and 26,000 people wait in the rain to see him.

Anselm
This clip's for you -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3ORwO5xDUE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTI3PpyXMm0

another one

Socialist candidate for president Brian Moore now on C-Span angry that both major parties are trashing the rich heritage of socialism. Take that, Dems and Pubs!

Craig,

Has 'Save our Homes' been made a general election issue in Florida? If so, which way is blame/culpability being directed?

just think.........if the gops dont steal it, pretty soon Gordo's posts will start out "President Soeter Obama......"

Hey Tony. How's it going? Hope you're doing well.
I saw your Ugly Betty post. I haven't seen it Tony, but I'll check it out next week. I could use a good laugh. Thanks.

Sturge, Is this the story you recommended to Patsi? (It's from Oct 1st, so I'm not sure).

The Sweet Sounds of Nashville
http://gardenandgun.com/stories/city_portrait/the_sweet_sounds_of_nashville-184

chloe......yes, that's the one.......

"We were in the mayors office in gary indiana, workin with a 501- are planning to put up more than 200 homes, these homes will be the solarcrete homes"

Solar, Saw you post from last night. Sounds like a big job coming up for your company. Do you have it for sure?

me liddle daughter brought me an issue, I just assumed it was the latest one.......

solar........got cabinets??

lol

Patsi

The problem with socialism is that it doesn't fit into our myths we tell ourselves. We all want to be Randolf Scott.
Free and independent taking on the world.

Jack

Patsi, I don't know if you saw my post, but I want to tell you again, just in case, how much I enjoyed your article. I wish you'd share more. Thanks.

"Free and independent taking on the world."

What a great way to describe the American psyche. That's the illusion I've always had. :)

"Free and independent taking on the world."

just like athens and rome

Patsi

Let me add a big "me too" to what Chloe said about you article. The wife enjoyed it too. She is an old graphic designer turned marketer.

Jack

Chloe, a while back I tried to buy one of her titles from Amazon--sold out. Good for her--disappointing for me.

A Message From The 'Mainstream Media'
"Hi. My name is Anonymous, and I'm a reporter in the mainstream media. Like a lot of my colleagues, I'm nervous."
http://www.forbes.com/opinions/2008/10/30/media-liberal-polls-oped-cx_pr_1031robinson.html

"a while back I tried to buy one of her titles from Amazon--sold out. Good for her--disappointing for me."

Flatus, I didn't know Patsi's full name until she linked that article. Now that I do, I'll try too.

McCain's Favorite Poll Of The Day, And Why It's Wrong

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/30/mccains-favorite-poll-of_n_139430.html

mornin' all.

Any news today?

John McCain is describing Joe The Plumber as his "role model" . Well we know they both don't like to pay their property taxes, makes sense.

"I don't know if you saw my post,"

Thanks, Chloe -- I really did get into the profession accidentally. In fact, I know many writers who did. (The art background was valuable when I was a magazine editor...made me fight for things like "wasting" an entire page with just one poem and an illustration. Of course, the history degrees were crucial when the magazine in question was on women's issues. So my college wasn't wasted...ha.

"Any news today?"

Skies are clear, visibility unlimited, winds are calm, and temperature is 35-def F. In other words, a beautiful Air Force day. That concludes the news for today.

"Any news today?

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=a2df9V.O__gc&refer=home

It's sad

Jack

Barack Obama,

"Y'know, the next thing I know, they're gonna find evidence of my communistic tendencies because I shared my toys in kindergarten--because I split my peanut butter and jelly sandwich with my friend in sixth grade."

The difference is Mr. Obama, that was your choice, your personal decision to share. It wasn't the school system or the teacher telling you, you had to share. But now you want to tell us who has to do the sharing.

"It's sad"

Yeah, Jack, they have my sympathy--and you know where that falls in the unabridged dictionary.

"The difference is Mr. Obama, that was your choice, your personal decision to share. It wasn't the school system or the teacher telling you, you had to share. But now you want to tell us who has to do the sharing."

Nicely said Anselm. I can believe all the things I believe, and still agree with that statement. Thanks.

31, clear and calm here, flatus - sounds like yours.

Jack, who'd a thunk it?

Thanks for the updates.

Anselm, I assume that's your attempted shot at Obama's plan to roll back Bush's tax cuts for the rich? If you think that's socialism, you've been listening to too much Hannity.

Hello all, it's quite cold in Belgium today !!!

Clear and calm here, too!
Three different states and all have the same weather report (although it's a little warmer here)

Unity!

Oh right, Peter Robinson is a left-winger? Since when? He sounds just like PING

"If you think that's socialism, you've been listening to too much Hannity."

I think Obama acused some of calling it Communism, Pogo.
(at least in his quote).

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166511

Pogo, maybe he didn't share HIS toys when he was in Kindergarten....

:-)

chloe, I'm patient - it's supposed to hit 65 here just in time for LP and his other rotten friends to don their disguises and go terrorize the Olde Farm neighborhood.

Obama suggested that McCain would criticize his communist tendencies. The only thing I've heard related to Marxist principles is the mischaracterization of Obama's tax plans as being socialist, that charge coming from the RWNM.

pogo,

The Bush tax cuts favored everyone. You better go back and review the following Bush tax cuts and tell me which one or ones you would like to see end?

1, 2011 (five short years away),

*
Tax rates will rise substantially in each tax bracket, some by 450 basis points;
*
Low-income taxpayers will see the 10-percent tax bracket disappear, and they will have to pay taxes at the 15-percent rate;
*
Married taxpayers will see the marriage penalty return;
*
Taxpayers with children will lose 50 percent of their child tax credits;
*
Taxes on dividends will increase beginning on January 1, 2009;
*
Taxes on capital gains will increase, also beginning on January 1, 2009; and
*
Federal death taxes will come back to life in 2011, after fading down to nothing in 2010.

Anselm apparently see's thing a little differently than you.

Being partisan is not a bad thing, but being blind is. And when others start demanding you think exactly what they think, then some rebel and go in the opposite direction. Anyone that knows much about human nature and psychology knows that's not so unusual.

Have a good one! Gotta go.

chloe, btw, the RWNM socialism charge was picked up and amplified from the McCain and Palin campaign rallies for thepast month or so - stamping around and repeating socialist and socialism wrt Obama's tax plans, which is what Obama was responding to in that comment.

I had a rich uncle, who like all these Geko Capitalists saw himself a self made man, one day I pointed out to him that he owed something to the G.I. Bill. One of those government programs to help people.
Later his company settled with the State of New York, seems they were screwing their customers.
It's like the Alaskans who hate the feds. The whole state lives off other peoples taxes, but they all think they're Audie Murphy.
Palin wants more war, but she won't tax herself to pay for it. She thinks we can just keep putting it on our Visa card.

This is what happens to you if you don't drink from the Obama Kool Aid fountain.

http://www.drudgereport.com/flashopp.htm

"chloe, btw, the RWNM socialism charge was picked up and amplified from the McCain and Palin campaign rallies for thepast month or so"

pogo, I thought you were commenting on what Anselm was commenting on, which was this ""Y'know, the next thing I know, they're gonna find evidence of my communistic tendencies because I shared my toys in kindergarten--because I split my peanut butter and jelly sandwich with my friend in sixth grade."

Then you went on to tell him he watched too much Hannity. I didn't get the connection??

A mind is a terrible thing to waste....

Obama Going Up On The Air In Georgia, North Dakota, And ... Arizona!
By Greg Sargent - October 31, 2008, 9:42AM

On a conference call with reporters just now, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said that the campaign is going up on the air in the final stretch in three states: Georgia, North Dakota, and ... McCain's home state of Arizona.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/obama_going_up_on_the_air_in_g.php

I know why this is viewed as a hate crime, but why couldn't it be argued this is nothing more than someone using their political freedom of speech in protest of Obama? Will dissenting views be seen as hate speech if Obama is elected. How is it Palin's effigy was not seen as hate speech. Is it because Palin is only a female and females are exempt from hate speech?

http://www.kentucky.com/471/story/574675.html

Hanging a woman in effigy is just good clean fun, didn't you know that, Anselm?

Anselm - and the Obama tax plan maintains those tax cuts for those who Obama considers the middle class and below. AS a general principle, it's only the tax cuts that applied to the rich (his definition, not mine) that he is proposing rolling back.

I am not advocating any particular tax plan or any particular tax items - I'm objecting to the characterization of the progressive tax structure as socialist. My simple understanding is that Obama has a tax plan that increases the marginal tax rate on households with incomes over $250,000. I also understand that he would let the inheritance tax rollback expire and allow some of the sunset provisions that Bush wrote into his tax cuts to get them through Congress and to lie about the effect of those tax plans on the deficit operate. So if you want to be honest about it, to the extent that he's willing to allow Bush's own legislation to operate, Obama would be implementing Bush's tax plan. Considering the disaster it's been, I can't imagine why he'd consider continuing it. You can say Obama plans to raise taxes, but in fact, Bush made those plans (referring specifically to the sunset provisions).

I do not know the details of which of the provisions you've listed would be affected by Obama's tax plan, but I feel fairly sure it would not be all of those. But to try and hang the sunset provisions of the tax code as it exists now on Obama is simply not honest, and the expectation that Obama and a Dem congress would continue a tax structure based on Repug principles with which they do not agree is not realistic.

chloe,

pogo doesn't pay attention to what Obama has to say, as everything Obama has to say is correct.. But this is an exact quote: ""Y'know, the next thing I know, they're gonna find evidence of my communistic tendencies because I shared my toys in kindergarten--because I split my peanut butter and jelly sandwich with my friend in sixth grade.", and Obama said this just the other day at some rally, and was aired on all the news stations. Apparently pogo also uses the mute button when Obama is speaking

chloe - my 9:45 comment provided the connection. We tend to ignore the context in which comments made by the candidates on both sides are made, and focus only on the comment. It's not fair to either side to do that.

Why can't Klein get a seat?

Time columnist Joe Klein, who’s been a forceful critic of the McCain campaign (and already said he’s unwilling to accept a post-election apology), has found himself without a seat on the McCain or Palin planes the past four months.

In June, Klein was kept from boarding the McCain plane over what they said had been a security issue. More recently, when trying to fly on the Palin plane last week, Klein told Politico over e-mail that the campaign's response was he “couldn’t be accommodated at this time.”

Et tu fruit drink ?

http://www.politico.com/blogs/michaelcalderone/1008/Why_cant_Klein_get_a_seat.html

Craig,

Enjoyed your post today. thanks for the specs on Florida! Very informative and really fills out the rest of the strategy and theory on Florida.

I want 1600 back. I really miss your weekly summaions. Are they coming back?

I heard the quote, Anselm. Apparently you hit the mute button on the Palin and McCain comments to which he was responding.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/10/palin-invokes-s.html

Without context, words don't mean much.

And from McCain.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081018/ap_on_el_pr/mccain

Early Voting Extended In North Carolina
By Greg Sargent - October 31, 2008, 9:26AM

More good news for Obama on the early voting front: It's been extended in North Carolina, reports the Charlotte Observer.

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/early_voting_extended_in_north.php

" Obama is leading McCain in early voting in the state by 59%-33%, as of two days ago "

For those that don't know, Chef Sheila is the reason this site is F- bomb free.
In the early days she policed our darker angels.

Forgive me Anon, But do I know you?

Are you an old Crawfordslister?

Are you on facebook? ;0)

or would you like my email address?

chefstonesheila at gee mail dot com

If not good luck to you and thank you for remembering me. It a was a great time!

post of the day:

just think.........if the gops dont steal it, pretty soon Gordo's posts will start out "President Soeter Obama......"

Posted by: sturgeone | October 31, 2008 8:21 AM

Laughed out loud at that, sturgeone. Thanks. I could live with that situation.

I'm sure many of you will find fault with this, but I find McCain's constant mentioning of Barney Frank a little troubling.

Wrong pogo.

Obama is going to turn back the Bush tax cuts, or the Democrat held Congress will let them expire. Find me one of his speeches where he has said he will keep this Bush tax cut or that Bush tax cut. He has never been specific, he has been very general, leaving a lot of wiggle room, in what he will do as president. This is really nothing more than a game of 3 card molly, or which cup holds the pea. When they let the Bush tax cuts expire, and they will, it will take several years for a new tax plan to be written submitted and passed. So after tax paying Americans notice they their take home pay is less, they will be rewarded by Obama's tax plan and he'll make it appear that he has given them something in the form of lower taxes. Problem with that is his tax plan is 2 years away at best, if it happens at all. Remeber Bill Clinton's tax cut for the middle class. Was promised, but never happened. The only thing I am confident on about Obama, is that he will raise taxes on the rich, who ever that is, and when that proves inadequate higher taxes will be passed onto you, the middle class. Think of it as, tickle down taxes.

Americans do not pay enough taxes....

Well, it appears that a few people (including me) have a few different things about this election cycle that are bothering them this morning, But we're in luck, since that's what this place is for. Never was there ever a better group therapy than Trail Mix (at least for me) :). Thanks.

maybe McCain fantasizes about a being a little frank with Barney....

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166545

Amen!

The hangings in effigy.

Despicable as they are, I think they are both constitutionally protected speech.

Had the mannequin of the black individual portrayed black individuals in general, I think it would have been unprotected hate speech. But, in this case, absent a specific threat to the candidate, it represents opposition to the candidate in general, not to his blackness.

"Americans do not pay enough taxes..."

In making that statement, ET, are you speaking for your candidate or his platform?

F- bomb free.

LOL
No it is not. Just because someone write f**k, that is the same thing as writing the word completely out. Hell there have been some on here that have written the vulgar slur word associated with a female vagina.

Just four more days until I never have to hear Sarah Palin's gratin' voice again. We'll leave her to the people of Alaska, God love 'em.

Could someone please change the batteries in Cindy McCain? She's supposed to smile and clap every thirty seconds, and it looks like she's slowing down.

"...until I never have to hear Sarah Palin's gratin' voice again"

MrD, unless you're suffering from some terminal illness, or have a regrettable fatal accident, or lose your hearing, you are sure to hear her voice within the next four years.

It's clear to me that she is trying to carve out her niche in the right side of the Rep Party. She'll be baaaack!

"Just four more days until I never have to hear Sarah Palin's gratin' voice again."

Win or Lose, Many See Palin as Future of Party
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/us/politics/29palin.html?em

"The hangings in effigy.
Despicable as they are, I think they are both constitutionally protected speech."

Flatus, I believe that the guy in West Hollywood finally took the Palin one down when some fellow parked in front of his house with a "hanging" that represented the homeowner.

You are right, they are all despicable.

Hands clasped to head...

"Please, noooooooo!"

Anselm,

I am curious? Wha inspired your Blog Name?

Which St Anselm or the Arch Bishop of Canterbury or maybe one of the Painters?

Republican Senator Ted Stevens has fallen eight points behind Democrat Mark Begich in his bid for re-election, and most Alaska voters now believe Stevens should resign from office.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_senate_elections/alaska/election_2008_alaska_senate

I haven't heard McCain talking about Barney Frank.... is he bitching about the financial crisis? (I can no longer stand to listen to any of the four major players in this race. The only person I've heard that I liked latest was Brian Moore, the socialist candidate, defending socialism.....oh, and my candidate, Cynthia McKinney, calling for Bush and Cheney to be arrested.)

Anselm, you misconstrue my meaning. Bush's tax cuts expire on their own. I don't disagree that Obama has not been specific as to which Bush tax cut he would or would not let expire. I said I'm not aware of the specifics, but I am aware of what he has said about the general principle of not increasing taxes on anyone making less than $250k. Where am I wrong about that?

I don't dispute that Obama's tax plans, when held side by side to Bush's, would look like he's rolling back at least some of Bush's tax cuts, but even if Obama submitted no tax plan and the results of the sunset provisions of the current tax legislation were held up as the new tax plan, the comparisons would be similar. You can try and characterize the operation of the sunset provisions signed into law by Bush as a tax increase by Obama or Congress, but you're casting blame in the wrong direction. What you are actually doing is saying that by failing to EXTEND Bush's tax cuts beyond what Bush signed them into law as, Obama is raising taxes. That is simply dishonest. But if it makes you sleep better, go ahead and say that.

Your assumptions about what will happen as a result of tax increases on the rich are fanciful - he could just as easily raise the taxes on the rich, whoever they are, further, increase taxes on corporations, raise gasoline taxes, increase mineral severance taxes, or any number of other means by which to raise revenues. Frankly, at this point what will or will not happen as an initial tax structure is speculative - what happens if it doesn't work as envisioned is beyond speculation.

And if you are directing that last line to me, how in the world do you think you know what my income is?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166551

flatus, you are correct, sir.

ET,

I am so glad you mention this, "Americans do not pay enough taxes....".

Since you claim to be an American residing and working for a non American company in the Netherlands, I have a few questions for you. When you, like all good Americans and submit your tax form to the IRS how much taxes do you end up paying the US government, % wise? How much of what you pay in foreign taxes do you write off on your US taxes? Before you answer that, you are an American aren't your working for a Russian gas company in the Netherlands holding down the position of gas station attendant? Reason I ask I have had a sudden interest on reading up on Americans who work abroad for foreign owned companies and their US tax obligations. Never know when I might want to join the tax benefits of living and working abroad.

I am curious? Wha inspired your Blog Name?

My parents. And yours?

Sheila, I wish you'd put together a collection of holiday hor d'oeuvres for Jamie's blog.....

"We tend to ignore the context in which comments made by the candidates on both sides are made, and focus only on the comment"

Sorry pogo. But that's how I think. I look exactly at what someone is saying and don't automatically read into it all the other things I believe (until later, and that's just for me). I listen to what they say, and take them at their word. Otherwise, I'm assuming something that may not be true. Patsi put it best a while back. Paraphrasing "Mean what you say and say what you mean".

"Hands clasped to head...

"Please, noooooooo!"

Mr. D -- will you promise that Obama will stop droppin' his "g's" after he is POTUS?

"... it is greatly perplexing and beyond troubling that a political candidate can ascend to the White House without providing sufficient documentation verifying his or her place of birth or American citizenship,"...

...a state lawmaker has authored a bill that would force presidential candidates to prove they're a United States citizen before being placed on state ballots.

When he and his staff researched the issue, Metcalfe said they were shocked to find out presidential candidates in Pennsylvania don't have to prove that they were born in the United States, or that they are a citizen.

"It would really be the greatest hoax in U.S. history if somebody did get past the scrutiny," he said."

http://www.politickerpa.com/alexroarty/2407/after-obama-mccain-rulings-state-rep-wants-presidential-candidates-prove-citizenship

Craig:

Republicans are in danger of losing the one state that could block any chances for an Electoral College victory.

How do u see the Cuban monolithic vote this time around, if they are split down the middle----is it a done deal?

Patsi---good a and bad news-------the good news is that i read you article------loved the easy flow of communication,
the bad news is that u got me into another fine mess Oli----while i was reading your piece---my wife walked by as asked me what i was looking at-----she saw all the drawings and asked since when do i look at the filthy site----it took a few minutes to show her and explain,,,thanks again for a fine mess u got me into. :-))

pogo,
And if you are directing that last line to me, how in the world do you think you know what my income is

You mean , "Think of it as, tickle down taxes."? or the line before it, "The only thing I am confident on about Obama, is that he will raise taxes on the rich, who ever that is, and when that proves inadequate higher taxes will be passed onto you, the middle class."

One is either rich, middle class, or poor, so take your pick, your taxes or the cost of goods will be raised. The really rich, not this $250,000 false rich, can absorb both, the middle class can't, and the poor are subsidized by government programs.

fuck you anslem---is that better?

Plouffe To Media: We Are Sitting Pretty

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/31/plouffe-to-media-we-are-s_n_139603.html

thanks for the spell check, LushIsLinda -- fixed

RE; Anselm

Thanks. Nice name. ;0)

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166567

In the spirit of Popeye I say, "I Yam what I Yam"

Anslem directed his comment at me------i see that he is still smarting over a little conversation that we had----i had already forgot it

Pasti,

I'm in Palm Springs with the rich dudes.

I'll think of something if Jamie hasn't been inundated. It would be my pleasure.

In the meantime, I have come up with a wonderful Christmas Cakes and also a Christmas candy email. Very homey stuff. If anyone wants it.

He's the winner, Patsi. He can yodel if he wants and his voice will still sound beautiful.

Obama is also, somewhat shockingly, going up on the air in Arizona, John McCain's home state.

"If someone else had been the Republican nominee, I think Arizona would be a core battleground," he said. "There have been quiet a few public polls, all of them showing it pretty close. Our internal data shows this could be a close race... we are just going to give it a go in the last three days and see how close we can get it."

Love it!

Oh Sorry Solar Crete. ;0)

well i was going to answer your question, SolarCrete, until your f-bomb.

Early lunch today. Spending it with the rich. lol Well not really but the have build up their business over the years and wonder if Obama is going to take into consideration the times they had to rebuild their businesses from scratch? They think someone should tell Obama it takes years and sometimes a number of failures to build a successful business. Now you would think he would know and understand that? Oh that is right he never built or operated a business of his own.

hey, chloe, I don't disagree that you have to listen to what people are saying. I don't suggest Obama meant anything different than what he said, anymore than I suggest that McCain and Palin meant anything different than what they said that preceded it. But are you telling me that if a statement is made in response to another statement, both statements stand on their own without respect to the other? If so, so much for dialogue. And there is one word in Obama's statement that tells you that it is in response to what's come before - the word is "next". And in the context that word provides, his statement is a mocking and sarcastic response. (Some people have a problem with mocking, sarcastic speech. In politics, it's pretty common) Now tell me that's not likely what that statement was.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166571

See, Gordo, we don't disagree - I actually would support that measure.

Im sorry for my language----this should not be done in the am---i won' t do it again----so as to not stop the flow of the most important part of the blog day

thanks SolarCret

"How do u see the Cuban monolithic vote this time around, if they are split down the middle----is it a done deal? -- posted by SolarCrete"

numbers i've seen show Cubans splitting along generational lines, younger trending Democratic for a while now but really moving toward Obama. Older Cubans still blame Democrats for Bay of Pigs

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166553

Is there any other kind? I'm wondering......

fuck you anslem---is that better?

Tough words from someone so far away. You sound like one of those vagina monologue persons.

" He can yodel if he wants and his voice will still sound beautiful. "

ROFL...I don't think so. It won't matter because I'll do the same with him as I did Bush.

See Craig it isn't always me that starts trouble, LOL!

"Hanging a woman in effigy is just good clean fun, didn't you know that, Anselm?"

patsi, and hanging the real ones has been a national pasttime since 1692.

btw, happy halloween all.

pogo, have you regaled lp with tales of boyhood tricks from by-gone years which he and his allegedly questionable pals might try to replicate?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166585

I should know better than to argue with an attorney. :)

Seriously, pogo, this all started out with such a simple statement that Anselm made about preferring sharing to be free will. And Obama using the pnut butter sandwich example was an extreme example and a silly one to use. I like simple, but over simplification is ridiculous. But I realize this has been overly discussed and this is the end of it from me.

I respect what you have said, but I 'believe' what I have said.

Anslem i won't take the bait---it looks like u r one of those people that are intelligent, but not too smart----no matter what u say, this is the last moments that i waste on u.

"it isn't always me that starts trouble"

you're slipping.

Solar, Did you see my post asking about those 200 homes?

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166595

Chloe, actually, it's as much the English major in me as it is the attorney part.

We respect each other's postions - always have and will continue to.

pat - I'd probably best leave those pranks untold for now. He's seen enough of them on TV as it is - after all he did watch "Disturbia" last week (and we do have a dog).

For all you real estate investors,

There is a nine year supply of condominiums in the state of Florida. It's so bad, you can't finance an investment purchase of a condo right now...

Anslem directed his comment at me------i see that he is still smarting over a little conversation that we had----i had already forgot it

I was referring to the childishness of truncated words to avoid spelling out the real slur words as a number of people do it, I wasn't specifically referring to you. But even then you spelled it wrong by adding in 2 extra --. If you had spelled it out you would not have placed an extra "u" or "c" in the word now would you?

"We respect each other's postions - always have and will continue to."

Thanks.

Chloe---i did, i want to answer it a little later to explain, how, it gets a little complicated,but is very important to people that never could get into a home before, and to the city of Gary In,,,,,and tell Sturg that they have cabinets---not a whole lot of em but, thanks for asking

Question for the group...

If the pollster.com map is to be believed, Mississippi is only leaning McCAin? Huh?

The toss up states in play will determine if Obama can get to 400?

WTF?!?

Your position is being usurped, Brian.

So...anybody here wearing a costume today? I mean for Halloween, mind you.

in keeping with the holiday spirit:

http://video.aol.com/video-detail/louis-prima-and-keely-smith-that-old-black-magic/3420120263

538 is looking pretty good, eh?

" was referring to the childishness of truncated words "

And that was precisely what Solar was responding to with his f-bomb. Nothing more nothing less. He was saying , okay, then.

B-F-Bomb-D.

Just in case it's close & they try to cheat, again...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-flblawyers1031sboct31,0,2028488.story

Happy Hallowe'en to Krazy Kat.

About to leave for downtown Des Moines to meet friends for lunch. Should be a fun trip since they started Obama-fying the streets yesterday for Barak's appearance today. Hopefully, can avoid the whole thing.

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166609

okay, i get it, patsi -- i just hate seeing that stuff when scrolling down a thread and there's no context -- by the way, really like how most of you include the links or a quote from another comment you're addressing -- makes a big difference in understanding the context of your dialogue

for those who might not know, it's very east to include a link to any comment -- click the date/time stamp to the right of the poster's name and copy the address that appears at the top of your browser

blue, did i miss something? have you moved to Iowa? are you now blue-IN-desmoines?

"seeing that stuff when scrolling down a thread and there's no context "

True -- It's an easy mistake to make, but it makes some responses unfathomable.

Corey

Corey--no i won't take over brians position,,,did u mention once that u used to live by garfield park in chicago----sorry if that was not u-----that is where i grew up pulaski a harrison-----i lived there until 1964, then moved to midway airport,,,,may dad used to hand me a gun, then hop on the bus to collect rent, it was a three flat that he refused to sell, so while we were collecting the rent, the fuel truck was also there delivering the fuel need for the furnace and all,,,,i still go back to garfield park one i a while. so u see i don't need to take over brians place----i come from whole neighborhood of bullies and their enablers...thanks

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166526

Anselm, We went over this yesterday. Short term memory loss?

The University is public property. The home with the Palin effigy was private property

Private = free speech

Public = possible hate crime

Obama or Palin effigy on private property - Free speech. Stupid but still free.

Noose, effigy etc on public property - possible hate speech particularly if directed at particular person or group (i.e. burning crosses, nooses in trees and such)

All clear now?

since i am in school principal mode, it's nice when those with typekey profiles fill them out so we can get some particulars about where u live, background, etc. tho i know some would rather keep their privacy, which is cool. but it does help to know a little something about who's commenting

Craig,

We have a lot of new folks dropping in. Might be a good idea to let them know that if they have blogs, you do have a blog roll on the left hand side of the page.

Not me, Solar. I live about 2 and a half hours east of Chicago. BTW, just a joke about usurping position. Anyway, I was told last night GM isn't working on Tuesday. Don't know if that's nationwide or just in Michigan. They always like to give their employees election day off so they can vote.

Craig....
I have visited Florida many times and really enjoy the beauty of your home state....

but..... and you knew there was a "but " coming didn't you..... :0)

the fact that Florida's Secretary of State can run the campaign for a presidential candidate is a little too banana republicish for my tastes.....

hey Bear...... are you suggesting that for those of us with money that now might be a good time to pick up one of those Florida condos?....

Corey---thats the way i took it,,,u r always in pretty good spirits,,i just thought it was u that live by garfield park,,,,it's hard to tell what GM is up to, but i wish u luck.thanks

http://blogs.cqpolitics.com/trailmix/2008/10/checkmate-in-florida.html#comment-166621

absolutely, Jamie -- anyone with a blog you'd like included on our Blogroll (under LInks on the left sidebar of this page) send your Trail Mix screenname and address for your blog to cqtrailmix@verizon.net

Patsi

Try this one on your family. It looks gorgeous, but is actually easy to make and is just a matter of layering in a pretty bowl

http://jdurward.blogspot.com/2006/11/trifling-around.html

Here are a couple of great fruit cakes that aren't heavy on the candied fruit that so many people reject.

http://jdurward.blogspot.com/2006/11/american-version-fruit-cake.html

Renee,

Yes I am...

It's like going to a Goodwill in a posh area where you can get designer stuff for Walmart prices instead of Saks prices...

"The University is public property. The home with the Palin effigy was private property

Private = free speech

Public = possible hate crime" Jamie@12:22

Jamie, they are possible hate crimes in either place; the facts will govern whether or not they are.

So far as a university is concerned, for as long as they've existed, they've been bastions of free speech. The last thing in the world we want to do is discourage speech within the academic environment because it's "possible" that it might cross the line into constitutionally unprotected speech.

If, upon examination, it does cross the line, then it's up to the university to implement whatever policy they have covering such eventualities.

Flatus,

If this is the case I am thinking of, the noose was actually hung on a particular professors office door. That turned the "free speech" into a threat.

one more houskeeping thing -- any regulars with Facebook pages are welcome to join our Trail Mix Facebook Group where members post photos and other stuff about themselves:

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17347137146

I don't know if we can prevail on Sheila for another menu. Last year she did take us all to the White House for a formal dinner with the menu below just in case any of you want to start preparing for the Innaugural or first State dinner. :-)

Celery Broth with Crispy Rock Shrimp
Newton Chardonnay "Unfiltered" 2002

Medallions of Buffalo Tenderloin
Roasted Corn
Wild Rice Pancakes
Glazed Parsnips and Young Carrots
Peter Michael Pinot Noi