Seen it, some people seem to like to vote for him regardless of his past. (or future intentions)

What a Dip sh!t!

You think you're the only one that's done what you have??? Then you're the problem son!!!
Al was not stooping as low as you have and that's why I responded to your post...

Smooth Operator, I used to think that you were a straight shooter and someone I could respect but, after your last post, You are in no way a smooth operator!
The main theme to my response is the matter of showing respect and acting civil about what we disagree as opposed to defaming or ridiculing someone who's just presenting his opinions with out any sense of malice or ill will towards you dude!

Henry

SO;

Sorry friend. I am happy for you that you didn't put any money where your mouth is. In other words, I'm happy that you didn't actually make a wager before spouting off. In short - you lose.

I've owned several businesses during my working career. I was still in high school when I registered my first welding and fabrication company. I formed my second company while I was in college and my current business was registered in "79". It is safe to say I've been self-employed most of my life.

Don’t even try to lecture me about the rigors of being self-employed or how hard it is to weld for a living. I’ve done it, I’ve been there. The difference between you and me is pretty evident. I know how to express an idea or an opinion based on reason and fact. Can you demonstrate the same ability?

There is a major difference between you and me; I don't have a problem with paying taxes. I know how most of the money is spent. It pays for the roads, highways, and bridges I drive on every day. I know my taxes pay for the clean water I drink and the treatment plants that ensure clean rivers. I know the taxes I pay help ensure I have clean air to breath. I know the taxes I pay ensure I can own and operate a business. I know the taxes I pay ensure I have the right to express my opinion. I know the taxes I pay ensure my children and my grandchildren can read and write a cohesive sentence.

Unlike you, I have been around long enough to appreciate rivers that do not catch on fire or air that is black with soot or red from blast furnaces polluting the air. I enjoy the highway system we've built with our tax dollars because I can remember how a 120 mile drive used to take eight hours instead of two. I remember driving through Baltimore and marveling at the orange sky and the sulfur taste in my mouth. I do not view paying my fair share as a burden which offers no benefits. 

I don't begrudge the poor a good education. I have seen the difference a good public school system can make. They are not free, they cost money to build, maintain, and populate with qualified teachers. I have seen the results of poor public school systems as well. The differences are clear; those states with the good public schools are at the top of the income earners while those with poor public schools are at the bottom of the income earners. I view money spent on public schools at the elementary level, secondary level, and college level as investments in our future. I would rather pay the cost of sending a child to college than to pay for their incarceration.

I don't begrudge a teacher a good salary. They should earn an income that is on par with someone that has the same level of education in any other sector. I am entrusting my children’s future to these individuals. I want the best teachers with the best education I can afford. I want the same for your children. Whether the teacher is teaching a youngster a trade, how to work with their hands, or teaching science and math to a child so they can someday change our world, it is important that the teachers be the best we can afford. The days of hiring a widow to teach a youngster to read and write are a thing of the past. Now we demand teachers with advanced degrees. We have to be willing to pay the price for excellence. I want the Lawrence’s of the world to be as qualified and dedicated as he is teaching my children. I want the best.

I do not begrudge the less fortunate the right to medical care. I don't begrudge the homeless or unemployed a warm shelter on a cold winter night.  I have the opinion that it is a privilege to live in this country. I believe paying my fair share is not a punishment, but a responsibility.

Romney’s philosophy is "hurray for me, screw you". Is that the reality of our country? In his circle of friends that may be true, but those are not the ideals I hold dear. The 47% Romney is willing to discard includes a lot of hard working men and women. Even Romney’s father needed public assistance for a while. In Romney’s own words,  “I’m not going to worry about them.”

I know of plenty of young people that do not pay taxes. They don’t earn enough to pay federal taxes. My son is one of them. He works in a sheltered workshop. He is one of the 47% Romney is willing to throw under the bus.

I know plenty of young people that attended university using Pell Grants and Stafford Loans; again, they are expendables according to Romney. They should borrow the money from their parents. Maybe their parents did not give them a million dollars. Throw them under the bus.

I know a number of retired people that don’t pay federal income taxes. They depend on SSI because the companies they labored for were purchased by venture bankers like Bain that “harvested” (robbed) the pension funds. Romney see them as burdens on society, I see them as the people that built our country.

Romney’s vision of our country is not the vision I have for my country. I have more faith in our country and I recognize that everyone in our society cannot be wealthy. Fate does not treat everyone the same. Romney does not represent the average American and he has no idea of what the average American does to make a living.

Do I agree with everything our government does? Of course not, but I believe the Democratic Party is more closely aligned with my core principles than the Republican Party in this election. Life is more than a 30 second sound bite. You have to dig a little deeper on your own to discover what the facts really are. I like to know the source of the information I am reading and I like to know the affiliation of the person that is responsible for the story. Important decisions must consider the long term consequences, alternatives, and past history. I do not care to recede back to the times of the Robber Barons.

There is a saying, "Little minds, little people." I like to Think Americans are better than that.

These are my beliefs and I am free to state them because I am an American. When I submit a post in the Forum, I am not afraid to let people know who I am or what I believe. I don’t have to hide behind anonymity. Once again it is an example of my tax dollars at work. I have a strong defense consisting of the Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard that is paid by my taxes to defend my rights, my freedom, my pursuit of happiness. I am happy to pay them for defending my rights and ensuring those rights are protected. If someone decides to challenge my right to say what I believe, there is a legal system that is paid for by my tax dollars to ensure my rights are not violated. Our legal system defends the rights of both the rich and the poor because both the state and federal government have a police force, lawyers, and a court system that protects our rights of citizenship. Is the system perfect? No, but we have a mechanism that permits us to change any shortcomings. Challenging the status quo is our right, our obligation, and our duty as a citizen of this country.

My tax dollars are a responsibility, not a burden.

Al

A 3rd grade teacher asked the class what they knew about elections.

One little girl put Her hand up, and was called on. She replied:

If it lasts more than 4 hours, You should go see Your Doctor.