The Observation Deck

Danielle Masters wrote:Every election signs are destroyed or stolen for all candidates. I truly doubt that either the republican or the democratic parties encourage their member to destroy, deface or steal signs. These acts are done by losers and losers can be democrats, republicans, independents, etc.

This is true...but the opposite is also true. 5 months after the election, we will still see some candidate's signs alive in the wild, roaming the sides of roads looking for a hand out. Is there no justice?

I have yet to have to keep my children from looking at a republican's car - they may say NOBAMA or I like my guns but never seen any profanity or any true hatred, it may be available but never seen one on a car.

If you like Obama look around you, a lot of crazy haters do too.

McCain is the safer choice.

Ryan,
I'd rather keep my kids from looking at "Warning, trespassers will be shot, stomped, violated, strangled, mutilated, kicked, beaten and boiled alive. Leftovers will be fed to the dogs." bumper stickers than the ones that show that you better think before you vote and question the motives of anyone that believes the love of power is far more important than the power of love.

You know, if my kids grow up to be my age and think that their differences are being solved by shooting, stomping, violating, strangling, mutilating, kicking, beating, and boiling the person they disagree with alive then I did a pretty bad job as a parent. But if my kids grow up to think that George W. Bush was the worst President in US history, then at least they'll know their History and they'll be able to vote more consciously than Republicans did in 2000 and 2004. That doesn't mean voting for a Democrat...it means voting for the candidate that's better for everyone, not just 5% of the population. I'd rather have my kids become independent thinkers than puppets of a war machine. I can't tell you how to parent, and it seems you already made your mind up.

It's pretty clear that we have different views on how to raise kids, and I can't tell you how to parent. But know that somewhere someone is making a lot of money on your vote. In bumper sticker sales, in oil sales and in weapons sales.

And if my kids grow up and have the choice of either becoming a gun salesman or a baker, I'd hope they can make the right choice. One less hungry person means one less violent person that stomps, kicks, beats, boils the people he disagrees with.

In the end Ryan, everyone has to eat. I'd hate to keep people from affording bread in the future, because it wouldn't be a good future to have. I don't know if you know what it's like to look at food and not be able to buy it, because you know if you buy it today then you might not be able to get it tomorrow. Or if you buy lunch twice a week, that's less money you have to make a payment for college. I'm there, I'm living it, and I'm doing it so that my children don't have to. I plan on voting with that in mind too.

Yard sign theft is not necessarily a sign of hatred - I have seen a lot of kids doing it just for fun.

I was talking about the hatred from bumper stickers & getting the finger while driving with W04 sticker or McCain.

So let's all agree to remove our signs when the election is over.

That reminds me I need to remove my brake for kids sign since that campaign is over.

Ivor - as usual you miss the point. Stick to professors and libs that don't want to discuss actual points.

I am not for violence or profanity.

The D's have a lot more profanity in their messages, which leads me to believe much more hate.

I have NEVER seen the bumper sticker you are talking about on a car around here.

I have seen DOZENS of F Bush and others that are on the links that I sent.

I guess you cant see the difference.

I will hopefully teach my kids to be smart enough to see clearly the choices they have to make.

You make so many assumptions at such a young, inexperienced age. You should learn to speak less and listen more, especially on issues you have just read about. The grownups have been forgiving to you up until this point but eventually you will be held to a higher standard and expected to know more before you speak.

I'll remove my sign right away if Obama wins but keep it up for months to mock others if McCain wins!

Ryan,

young and inexperienced? I'd give you young, but I've seen more of life than you ever will.

Look at it this way, four years from now when we're both in soup lines we won't see anyone driving around with disgusting bumper stickers.

Just remember, the rest of the world is holding you to a higher standard than voting for four more years of the same. But maybe that doesn't matter to you?

If that's the case, your "higher standard" won't matter to me either. I can tuck my head in to bed at night knowing that I won't be contributing to four more years of this mess. For you to do the same and to have voted for Bush speaks volumes to many on this globe. Some standards are worth meeting, and some aren't. I'd take the responsible human being standard over the Republican who drives around in a minivan standard because one is going to make a better world come January 20th, 2009.

Ryan Salo wrote:I'll remove my sign right away if Obama wins but keep it up for months to mock others if McCain wins!

and you wonder why you're being cussed at? It's one thing if you're not asking for it, but when you're provoking it then I won't be feeling sorry for ya.

You are funny - thanks for the entertainment and lack of substance.

I don't vote because the "world" wants me to, most of them are worse off then we are. Thats why people like you leave those places to come here!

If I wanted more free stuff I would vote for Obama too, I guess it just depends on if you trust people or trust government.

I have a minivan for my kids - which you don't have. Which takes us back to my point which was watch what you say when you have NO experience.

What exactly is your "more experience"? It is all relative.

If I tried to talk to you about being an immigrant I would be an idiot, the same goes for you talking about things you know nothing about.

- I was kidding about the sign.

2 more years of saying whatever you want with no expectations, enjoy it!

Ryan Salo wrote:I have seen DOZENS of F Bush and others that are on the links that I sent.

I've seen the stickers too - while I wouldn't have that sticker on my car, I do share the sentiment - a lot of people, myself included, think that some, but not all Republicans are smug and elitist. I think Bush falls into this category, with his Cowboy politics that just don't work.

Ryan, do you think Ivor doesn't know what he's talking about because he doesn't agree with you? Then I guess I don't know what I'm talking about, either.

Just so everyone knows, experience is relative.

I definitely feel that Ivor has some experiences in his short life that no one else on the deck has, and thankful none of us will probably ever have. Just because one is young doesn't mean they aren't experienced.

Oh and Ryan I asked Stephen but I forgot to ask you since you mentioned free stuff, how do you feel about McCain's plan to help homeowners with loans they are having trouble paying back?

David,

I like how a college kid can talk about parenting, just like a single talks about marriage - just doesn't hold much weight.

Danielle,

I was pretty upset when I heard about this plan. I want less government not more.

I also think this will hurt McCain more then help since more americans have been paying their bills on time and will not benefit from it.

Ryan thanks for your response. It goes along with what you have been saying, so while I don't agree with you I respect you for your consistency.

Ryan Salo wrote:David,

I like how a college kid can talk about parenting, just like a single talks about marriage - just doesn't hold much weight.

I think Ivor was referring to the wasteful aspect of minivans that typically have a low MPG. Do you really need a low-MPG minivan to transport your kids when a 4-door sedan with a much higher MPG rating would suffice?

David Lay wrote:

Ryan Salo wrote:David,

I like how a college kid can talk about parenting, just like a single talks about marriage - just doesn't hold much weight.

I think Ivor was referring to the wasteful aspect of minivans that typically have a low MPG. Do you really need a low-MPG minivan to transport your kids when a 4-door sedan with a much higher MPG rating would suffice?

If you have more than three children yes you need a minivan or an SUV which is what I drive. And many sedans don't get much better gas mileage than minivans.