Meet the hobos
A Republican cartoon version of the future
Meet the hobos
Dick Polman, Inquirer National Political Columnist
If you're currently out of work and waiting for your next unemployment check, you might be out of luck. Republican Senator Jim Bunning - a politician so out of touch that even the Republican leaders considered him unfit to run for reelection this year - has been single-handedly blocking an extension of jobless benefits. For 1.1 million affected Americans, the jobless pay ran out last night. Senate Democrats will try to help the jobless by overriding Bunning this week. He insists that, as a matter of fiscal principle, it would be wrong to add to the deficit, but his real message was actually more pungent. Late last week, when Senate Democrats begged him to drop his objections and, in essence, to stop screwing around with people's lives, Bunning was overheard saying, "Tough s--t."
That would make a fine GOP bumper sticker, but perhaps it's Dean Heller, a heretofore obscure Republican congressman from Nevada, who best exemplifies his party's attitude toward the everyday straits of the struggling millions. At a Republican dinner in his state the other night, Heller questioned the wisdom of extending unemployment benefits over a span of several years. He feared that, by doing so, the federal government might turn us into a nation of slackers. Or, as he suggested to his listeners...and I kid you not, this is what he said...
"Is the government now creating hobos?"
Absolutely, that must be the Democrats' ultimate game plan. I happen to have an exclusive iPhone application called iFuture, which allows me to upload text and video of events that haven't even happened yet. I've just tapped the icon. Here's a news story from 2012. Or perhaps it's the Republican cartoon version:
HOBOHEMIA - Riding the rails from all over America, unshaven hobos by the millions descended on the federally-mandated city of Hobohemia, intent on celebrating the creation of their own community and vowing to live out their once-productive lives on the government dole.
Everybody had a story to tell. Strumming a Woody Guthrie tune on his five-string banjo, Joe Hill smiled at the sun as he lolled on his back in the town square. He pulled a cigarette butt from behind his ear, stuck it between his lips, lit the match on his stubble, and said, "I was a middle manager at a manufacturing plant for 35 years until I got laid off back in '09. I suppose I should've kept looking for work so that I could support my family, but there's no need for any of that, now that I've got my jobless check from the government. Long as those checks keep coming, I'm gonna choose to be a bum. The heck with the family - right, Harry?"
His friend, Harry McClintock, looked up from his well-thumbed John Steinbeck novel, and smirked toothlessly. "I'm fixed up real good, Joe," he said. "Just got my latest check from DHS (the federal Department of Hobo Services), and I used it to buy a new iPod. I'm thinking tonight I might try to download that old Red Skelton comedy sketch, Freddy the Freeloader, and maybe that old Johnny Cash ditty, The Hobo Song."
"Good thing we jumped off that train, Harry," said Hill, "because those boxcars didn't have free wi-fi. Which is outrageous. DHS should work up some rules requiring that the freight trains get wireless. The other night I tried to download Big Rock Candy Mountain, and I couldn't even get a signal."
"Great song!" McClintock exclaimed. Hill fired it up on the banjo, and McClintock sang: "In the big rock candy mountains/ There's a land that's fair and bright/ Where the handouts grow on bushes/ And you sleep out every night...Awesome, that part about the handouts. So much more fun than being an out-of-work engineer with a wife and kids and a house in foreclosure. Joe, what say we hit that Starucks over there, then go to Banana Republic for some new glad rags?"
"I guess so," Hill yawned. "But that involves getting to my feet and walking across the street. I've been telling DHS that my checks need to be bigger, to cover the cost of those Frappuccinos, and they keep saying, 'next month, next month.' I keep telling them, 'Jeez, don't I have any rights anymore?'" He shook his head sadly, and started strumming John Lee Hooker's Hobo Blues.
"Buck up, Joe. See the sign in Starbucks? There's a week-long reading of Jack Kerouac."
"Well, OK," said Hill, brightening. "But only if they let us sleep out on the sidewalk between readings."
"DHS already says that's your right as a hobo," McClintock pointed out. Then his phone buzzed. "Hang on, Joe, I got a text coming in. Two, actually." He read and groaned. "First one's from the wife. She wants me to come home, says there are 'now hiring' signs being put up all over town. No frickin way. I like it better when the handouts grow on bushes."
"You got that right," Hill murmured, his eyes growing heavy. "Whuz the other text?"
"It's from the Obama re-election campaign again. They're asking for our vote. They created us hobos, we should be grateful, that sort of thing. But I don't know. Weren't we planning to hop a freight train to Montana that week?"
"I dearly hope there's no jobs for us up there," Hill yawned. "But the heck with the train this time. We'll rent a car - get the DHS discount, ride in style." Fighting sleep and fumbling for the banjo, he began to play Woody Guthrie's Hobo Lullabye.
Lulled by the strumming, McClintock slid his Steinbeck novel under his head and began to nod off. His last words were, "Mmmm, OK. But only if the rental has XM radio."
Comments (74)
Hmmm...don't quit your day job just yet to write fiction, Mr. Polman. I liked the one about CD75 living in his dear mother's fruit cellar better!— Yersinia Pestis
Sen Jim Bunning is everything that is wrong with America, its politics and its Capitol all rolled into one. He does not give a damn for people, but for his alleged ideas. I never met an idea or a principle that went hungry, went cold, got sick or died a miserable needless death. The politicians of Washington have forgotten that they represent people, not ideologies and the consequences of their votes directly affect the material well being of the people who vote them into office. As soon as the mysterious power of ideas to move men's bodies and souls campaigns and contributes money and votes Sen Bunning into office, he can vote for the fundamental principles he espouses, until then get your goddam vote in for the people or hurry up and retire, you are a worthless excuse of a man and less than zero in politics.- Still Independent- From the last blog. Obama gave leadership seminars to Acorn. I think you are OK with that. The organization, as Tom pointed out, has a storied history in leaning on mortgage companines to loan to the unqualified. We can disagree if you want. I have no problem with that. But don't claim that my point is baseless. If one is giving a leadership seminar to an organization contributing to the mortgage meltdown then I think it is fair to say they helping to train them. Now to be fair, loans to the unqualified was not the whole problem. Part of the problem is the mortgage broker had no skin in the game and the loans were quickly sold and backed up by Fannie and Freddie. People were buying houses with stated income. Money was easy. And of course people on Wall Street found creative ways to package the loans into an investment portfolio laced with mortgages that were bound to fail. My broader point here is that Obama is a socialist and is working towards those goals. Even liberal pundit and USA contributor Bob Beckel declared a few months ago " what is wrong with a little socialism ? ". Believe me, there are many on the left who are socialists but won't admit to it.
- Actually the best way for the Democrats to lower the unemployment rate would be to limit the number of weeks one can collect. Besides that I cannot remember the last time a single Senator could be scapegoated for holding up legistlation. I guess Republicans really do have a 41-59 majority. Once again counting on you- the koolaid drinkers- to buy into this spin.
Comment removed.- Below are comments from Democratic congresswoman Dianne Watson. I am curious if we'll have any outragee from the " Still Independents, Mod Lib Dems, Former GOPer's, or Moderates "........................"Did anyone say anything about the Cuban health system?" And lemme tell ya, before you say "Oh, it's a commu-", you need to go down there and see what Fidel Castro put in place. And I want you to know, now, you can think whatever you want to about Fidel Castro, but he was one of the brightest leaders I have ever met. [APPLAUSE] And you know, the Cuban revolution that kicked out the wealthy, Che Guevara did that, and then, after they took over, they went out among the population to find someone who could lead this new nation, and they found...well, just leave it there (laughs), an attorney by the name of Fidel Castro..."
- If you say so, I guess I am a Socialist. And you my friend are a Facist. Whatever man, just labels, right?— pagoda
- Comment removed.
Calling what the government creates hobos is an insult to hobos.— jmc- Why would Obama say he's a socialist when he's a moderate? I'm confused. You think that the majority of people in America aren't just as bad off as the majority in Cuba, Mike? You can't eat gun rights and curing a case of lack of freedom isn't covered by health care. If you give people a chance to stay healthy, they can do good. America crushes chances for upward social mobility by waving around a piece of paper written by farmers, slave-owners, and the corporate elite in the 18th century. I'm not saying that I'd rather live in Cuba, but I am saying that Republicans have done enough damage to this country that I could name 50 places I'd rather live currently.— HandNik
- Smike, speaking for my perch on the "left wing" Dianne Watson is a head case who is far out of touch with the world (as is Bunning) I've read little about her - all bad, and the only plus is that it appears she's leaving soon. Fortunately her comments just get ignored by people of reason.— JimR
- Comment removed.
- As a nation we exaggerated expectations of what government can do. We are built on foundation of collapsing social programs that should never have been enacted in the first place. All while the majority in congress has taken to the irresponsible task of creating another entitlement. It all unsustainable and bound to collapse. By 2015 the interest in the debt alone will be 571 billion dollars.
- Jim R- you said in refering to Congress woman Diann Watson " Fortunately her comments just get ignored by people of reason." Well, she's been in congress for nearly a decade. You can hear the applause by her constituents as she praises Castro and Che Guevero. She ran unopposed in 2006. I would consider that part of the mainstream thinking of Democrats.
- swedesboromike : first, I'll echo JimR's comments about Watson. She's an idiot. I do love that you are able to decide who does and doesn't represent "mainstream thinking if Democrats". Neither of us are one, but then I'm not a Republican, either. Can I just claim theat Jim Bunning represents "the mainstream thinking of Democrats". Can I pick any congressman I choose?— still_independent
- I wouldn't consult Castro on the best method to stuff corn flakes down people's throats or how to market a flat screen TV but I'd ask him what he did to help Cuba (44th) have a lower infant mortality rate than the United States (46th) (CIA World Fact Book). Considering it's such a wretched place, it's not a bad accomplishment.— Rabe56
- swedesboromike: back to the ACORN thing. Again, I am no fan of ACORN. I am no fan generally of the federal goverment funding private groups. You made a SPECIFIC charge. You claimed that Obama "trained ACORN ... workers to secure mortgages for unqualified people in sufficient numbers to collapse the housing and home-financing industries." You, as per usual, can't substantiate this claim. When I point this out, apparent socialist that I am, you claim I'm quibbling. As I put in the last blog : "quibbling –noun - 2.the act of a person who quibbles" ... "quibble - noun - 4. an instance of asking swedesboromike to provide evidence of or factual basis for any of his statements".... I shall do my best not to quibble in the future.— still_independent
- Still Independent - Yes, Obama conducted leadership training seminars for an organization who activities include intimidating bankers into making loans to people with no means to pay back the loans. I guess I make the wrong conclusion.
- Hanknik: "You think that the majority of people in America aren't just as bad off as the majority in Cuba, Mike?" I'm not goign to throw out a reflexive "America, love it or leave it", but to answer your question, NO. I hear of very few people drowning trying to float across on makeshift rafts to Cuba. Infant mortality is a single statistic. On many other measures, they lag far behind.— still_independent
- This feels like a reach.— tjm333126
- Independent: You must remember the party line from the echo chamber is that Obama is a "socialist - community organizer - citizenship doubtful" individual. You'll never win an argument with a propagandist. The latest: The Drudge Report is implying Obama has a drinking problem. As for ACORN, it's not perfect, but conservatives have been screaming BAD GOVERNMENT for generations, so what happens when poor people group together to try to help themselves with government's help? They're called socialist. What's wrong with being a "community organizer"? It's a good thing. But in the echo chamber, community organizer has a dark nefarious connotation. The problem is that right wing propaganda has become accepted by the msm. Notice that "union" is a dirty word. A person who cares for the environment is a "tree-hugger". The word "liberal" equates to "lazy, not smart, I hate America". It's unfair, but we have ourselves to blame. And for all of their complaining, the echo chamber has won because they control the language now, they know it and they are winking at each other all the way to the bank.— Rabe56
- I wholeheartedly agree with Still Independent's comeback to Handnik. Kumbaya
- MOCKY: Here are your next 5 accomplishments from Bush-Cheney. 36. LIBBY'S ILLEGAL OBSTRUCTION for Cheney with lies. What reason did he have to lie for Cheney? ....... 37. BUSH'S KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PLAME was in the book by Scott McClellen. Bush's remarks were that he knew what happened, and allowed his people to be above the law. .......... 38. NO ACCOUNTABILITY for the $700B bailout was written into TARP. Yeah, I know no time to read the bill, no step-by-step, and Congress was forced to work the weekend to meet the Monday-a.m. deadline from the previous Friday. ............... 39. THE RESPONSE TO KATRINA by Bush is self-explanatory. Yeah, there are others to blame, but that doesn't make the slow response by Bush bogus. ............... 40. WITTMAN USED by Cheney to fool people like me. Her appointment was one of the few things the admin. did I liked, and Cheney fixed that mistake. Money is always more important than anything but war. War is the only thing we can afford.— Talvenada
Jim Bunning is somewhere between cantankerous and crazy. As a young man who idolized his pitching prowess during his stint with the Phillies, I met him in a Tampa airport elevator in spring '74 after he became a Phils coach, on his way to spring training at Clearwater. "Oh wow, you're Jim Bunning...I'll always remember how great a pitcher you were for the Phillies!" He barely acknowledged me, and without a smile. All I can say is it sent chills through me. I never thought of him in the same light.- Smike, Watson has been there for two terms and she's leaving - 'nuff said there. As to her representing the collective idaes of all Dems, I doubt it. She represents a district in/near LA. Refer to my comment on 'people of reason' And do we judge all conservative ideas by Bunning? (whose career peaked on Father's day '64) or maybe CD75?— JimR
- Dick, What Bunning said was before more money is spent, let's get the money from a designated place. Big difference Mr. Smear and Distort. I think you dem allies in congress call that "paygo". Nice smear job.— CD75
- Comment removed.
- Reilly: Why do you think Castro would charm me? In other words, I'm a naive liberal who beileves anything. Not fair to assume that. The point that I hope that isn't missed isn't about Castro,it's how in the world does the country with the best medical system rate 46th in infant mortality? Did every other country lie. Yes, the Cuban abortion rate is 3x higher but that doesn't exlain the difference between the U.S. and other countries.— Rabe56
- The Right-Wing Noise Machine bloviates for hours everyday on the AM Band about how Cuba and other third world countries pad their health stats. They love to throw around the abortion issue. Nothing like stirring up the base. Fact is, who cares if Cuba or the US have better numbers, the mere fact that they can be compared is pathetic. Rush and Hannity and the like never seem to understand millions of Americans will have babies every year in third-world conditions. Our "me first" NIMBY nation seems ok with this, clearly Rush is, and now the Republican Party is on board. The Democrats aren't far behind, but at least they can cling to their Socialism moniker as some sort of booby prize. I love how you clowns think socialism is Armageddon, but yet you have ZERO concern for the millions of poverty stricken babies in this SUPER POWER nation. The right wing has spent all their energy red-bating and have completely neglected their own innocent citizens- are these babies welfare defrauders? I thought Republicans were mostly "Christians". I don't think that word means what they think it means...— pagoda
- Comment removed.
- today's GOP: Killed the economy, killed the job market, killed unemployment benefits, killed America. Yeah, they’re taking the White House in 2012 – you betcha!!!— WendyWendy
- Someone explain what happened. 35 years ago I was making min wage, maybe $6,000 a year. I was able to afford health insurance. I purchased as an individual policy and it costs less than $300 a year, roughly 5% of my income. How in the world could a minimum wage person today afford health insurance? I understand that there is a school of thought that believes "tough nuggies, get a better job and you could afford it". Fair enough but harsh. It's sad that it seems that the low paid working man was much beeter off in 1974. I take that back,today a low paid working man can get a flat screen at Walmart for $499.00! That's heaven.— Rabe56
- Comment removed.
- This link says it all about how great the sub-tropical nation of Cuba is. http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/world/cold-weather-kills-26-patients-at-cuban-hospital-for-mentally-ill-investigation-launched-81779497.html— Mike Welbourn
- Swedesboro: I have a homework assignment for you. Go on Google and find out what percentage of the U.S. workforce is unionized.— p-diddy
- Reilly, apology accepted. I not only said that Cuba was lower but I put the standings in parens 44 and 46. Discussing the differences between counties in the 40's could be construed by some a fencing on the head of a pin. We could do better. A valid question: Would universal coverage make us worse?— Rabe56
- The righties here don't do their homework. They can only cut and paste from Red State, NRO, etc. and repeat talk radio nonsense.— WendyWendy
- I'm a typical Republican and here's my solution to the Unemployment situation: Tough Noogies. I also have a solution to the Health Care problem: Tough Noogies.— pic man
- Pdiddy- I don't feel like completing your homework assignment. I would imagine the percentage of union workforce is very low in the private sector and more prevalent in the public sector. My experience was with the Teamster union for 16 years of my adult life. The worst part of it is when one of your best employees comes up to you and says " why should I work harder, if that guy over there who does half the work gets paid the same ? "
- Pic Man- Telling the truth to a liberal offends them. There is never any grown up talk over entitlements with the left in this country. Just sad stories of why we need more entitlements that will bankrupt and collapse the nation.
- Just for Wendy (love your burgers) some more cut and paste about the great country of Cuba. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704625004575089751014975986.html?mod=WSJ_newsreel_opinion— Mike Welbourn
- Sorry about that. Here is a link with full article from WSJ. Didn't really check link at first because I like reading WSJ hard copy. http://www.petroleumworld.com/ed10030101.htm— Mike Welbourn
- Just more recycled nonsense on the housewife who worked at the CIA. Check in time tonight at the Institution is 630 pm. You better get along now.— Alvenada
- Hilarious write up on Al Gore................"The point of the piece—of course—is that none of the trivialities about the crumbling credibility of the leading authorities and their demonstrated tendency to mislead the public do anything to weaken the absolutely certain scientific case that we are catastrophically warming the planet, and have to do something drastic—NOW. So does he offer us new, improved scientific data? No. We get a summary of the same stuff my first grader tells me when I’m using too much hot water in the shower:"...................http://blog.american.com/?p=10896
- More funny stuff on the " Warmers" from the USA Today " No where did the snow create a bigger sensation than Washington, where it even forced the Commerce Department to hold news conference by telephone to announce the creation of an office on global warming "
- MOCKY: Bush knew about it, did nothing after making claims to the contrary, and didn't care after the fact. Why would he get to the bottom of it, if there was no crime? Typical Conse 'Pub logic with the housewife so-what attitude. Example: Do you torture prisoners? Answer: You want to take them to Disneyland!! Doesn't answer the question, belittles the questioner, and dismisses the offense.— Talvenada
- One of the books I'm currently reading is titled "Wingnuts ... How the lunatic fringe is hijacking America". From the first chapter "... but Wingnut politics is not about solving problems. Armed with ideological certainty, they come to protest and polarize. Wingnuts are addicted to their drug of choice - a righteous indignation that makes them unable to see any perspective other than their own" .... boy, good thing that doesn't seem to describe anybody here. The chapter ends witha quote from Eisenhower "The middle of the road is all the usable surface. The extremes, left and right, are in the gutters"— still_independent
- Still Independent- Actually if we are being honest it is a coalition of independents and conservatives that are against the healthcare bill. And actually it is a coalition of independents and conservatives that lead to Republican victories in NJ and Mass. . It is not that the Independents suddenly crave Republicans. They want balance being restored. The tyranny of the majority can be a dangerous thing. Wether its on the left or the Right.
- And now in 1st place for the 2012 Republican nomination for president! The party of NO has a candidate of NO!! He gave up a basketball game to do his job. Bunning! A tough love you can support!— Talvenada
- And now in 1st place for the 2012 Republican nomination for president! The party of NO has a candidate of NO!! He gave up a basketball game to do his job. Bunning! A to-ugh love you can support!— Talvenada
- Mike Welbourne - do not drag me into your "Cuba" nonsense ... either address the damage the GOP has done or go away .. wee wee boy.— WendyWendy
- "today's GOP: Killed the economy, killed the job market, killed unemployment benefits, killed America." The GOP did all this while Dems enjoy a majority in the House, the Senate and also control of the White House? Please explain...— PhillyTru
In case nobody noticed - We now have almost a 3 trillion dollar debt. That's $3,000,0000,000,000.00. Or, put another way, that's about $10,000 for every many woman and child in America. And that doesn't really include all the deficits in Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security - all of which are insolvent. The REAL lesson of the great depression (the one they don't teach you in public schools) is that massive government interference in the economy (ONLY done by Hoover and FDR) makes a depression much longer and much more severe. Bunning is trying to keep the congress from continuing its massive war on the american people by lining its pockets and the pockets of their wall-street contributors (P.S. They contribute equally to Republicans and Democrats). For that he is to be applauded.- Who's lining Bunning's pockets? Why don't the Republicans in DC get their big-business fatcats to commit to rehiring their fired and laid-off workers as things improve? The GNP goes up but unemployement stays the same. Fact! Amazing! People want to work. But Big Biz has scared the stuffing outta their remaining workers, getting them to do anything they're asked-- believe me, I know. During the Depression, men took to riding the rails. That or an equivalent will happen again soon. This country needs an enema. Is our capitalistic system more precious to us than human dignity? Human rights? Sure looks that way. WWJD?— smacky
- Those who want to blame the current economic situation on the previous incompetent president or completely incompetent current president are missing the point. The problem is that WE - the american people -the ones demanding "Something for Nothing" - are the cause of all these problems. By wanting the government to give us things that we don't want to pay for, by screaming bloody murder when congress (infrequently) tries to cut programs that we can't pay for. By taking to the streets when they try to reform broken social programs, like social security, medicare, etc. We are dragging this country down into the abyss of history. "No democracy lasts longer than it takes for the populace to realize they can vote themselves funds from the public treasury." When the great majority of americans were christian or otherwise had an ethical base, we could resist this impulse. Now that we are mostly secular, it's "grab what you can get" and "everyman for himself." The clock is winding down.
- Comment removed.
- Congress just passed and Obama recently signed the re-enactment of Pay-go, and the first piece of legislation the Senate and House gets passed/debated as exempt from the new pay-go legislation. All Bunning wants is to have this law paid for, as Congress just agreed to do a few weeks ago. Why is that so wrong?— tom - wilmington, de
- Hmmm. Let's see - unemployment blew up in 2007 - check. Economy tanked in 2008 (remember Co-Presidents John McCain and Sarah Palin saved the world by "suspending" their campaign?) - check. The policies (tax cuts, spending, 2 unnecessary wars) set by the Republican controlled congress having their (intended?) effect today? - check. Thanks GOP! Republicans cannot be trusted to run a newsstand let alone government. Bunning in 2012.— WendyWendy
- All Jim Bunning wants - Ha! Wee Wee Boy Tom (long-term mental disability benefit recipient) back at the excuse making while the unemployed (thanks Bush/Cheney!) suffer even more.— WendyWendy
- Wendy, Wendy- Are you ever going to get more than one cash register in your restaurants? Snarkiness aside, Republicans were not fiscally responsible and they paid for it at the ballot box. Democrats are proving to be far worse and they paid for it by losing NJ and Mass and will lose in the mid-terms. The bottom line here is we cannot solve our issue with our debt by spending more and enacting new entitlements. No one wants to be a grown up and discuss the collapsing ponzi scheme called social security, medicare, and prescription drug. I'm sure a trillion dollar healthcare boondoggle will fix it all. Right?
- It's Bush's fault.— nellar
- Bunning voted against the Pay-go legislation, so he was against it before he was for it. And where was Bunning when Bush was running up the deficit for 8 years?— pic man
- pic man- you said " And where was Bunning when Bush was running up the deficit for 8 years?".......... Are you telling us that quadrupling Bush's spending is ok because Bush was a big spending liberal? Are you really going to hang your hat on that logic?
- swedesboromike - I thought what I was telling everybody was pretty clear, but since you didn't get it, I will spell it out for you. Bunning is a hypocrite.— pic man
- pic man- You could say that about most of them. 4 years ago Democrats were complaining about the tyranny of the majority. Now it's the other way around. None of them can control their spending. It's not their money which is why none of them really care.
- WendyWendy - it Congress (all sides) and the way modern politics has moved so far away from working for the betterment of the whole country to gaming everything for the power structure, money institutions, corporations and other special interests. Look at what the political process produces as "viable" Presidential candidates anymore - people willing to sell thier souls, principles and constituents out for power and money. It's depressing.— MMorgan83
- swedesboromike: "We get a summary of the same stuff my first grader tells me when I’m using too much hot water in the shower:" How does your first grader know how much hot water you use in the shower? ew...— justguessing
- ktrimbach - that would be 13 trillion debt or $40,000 for every man woman and child. If you add in unfunded liability of Soc. Sec. and Medicare it would be 120 trillion or $400,000 for every man woman and child— Mike Welbourn
- testing— Talvenada
- test comment— prophecy2008
- MOCKvenada: It's down to just you with your 3 sentence defense of Bush-Cheney on DAY 9 of 22. The next 5 accomplishments of Bush-Cheney, as per request of MOCKY. 41. BUSH SUSPENDED HABEAS CORPUS with a VAGUE definition of an en-emy combatant. ............. 42. BACKWATER LAWLESSNESS did not apply to rape for American women only, but for any crime even murder. .........43. THREATS TO GREENHOUSE SCIENTIST by the admin. to be fired, if they continued to disagree in public with Bush's stance on global warming. Right or wrong doesn't matter in silence the opposition. ....... 44. SP-YING ON WAR PROTESTERS to crush any opposition. ............ 45. NO. KOREAN TREATY BROKEN to have everything favor America, while No. Korea got nothing. Typical Neo-Con politics: all my way only.— Talvenada
- As a hobo-for-life I shall not stand idly by, while you, Dick Polman (that can't be a real name,) bring dishonor to the hobo name. We are not shifty, lazy, good-for-nothing bums. We are not looking for handouts. We have no aversion to work, other than work for its own sake. We live simply, that we may work when we choose, rather than at the masters' bidding. Only one of us, yuppie-bo, has interest in your nefarious world of Starbucks, and Banana Republic. Surely we should not all be painted with such broad strokes. I will grant you that we do enjoy XM radio, where we can link up with our fellow hobo Ron Bennington on 202. Any new hobos will be welcome, provided that they live by the hobo code: http://www.hobo.com/hobo_code.htm, and pass the trials at hobo hill. However we will not associate with your bums, so do not lump us with them!— hobomike
- Swedesboro: How many independents are part of the alleged "coalition"?— p-diddy
- We live in a nation of suckers. I think many young people would love to have a free company gym membership in lieu of decent health benefits. I'm with Hobomike.— p-diddy
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Cited by the Columbia Journalism Review as one of the nation's top political reporters, and lauded by the ABC News political website as "one of the finest political journalists of his generation," Dick Polman is a national political columnist at the Philadelphia Inquirer. He is on the full-time faculty at the University of Pennsylvania, as "writer in residence." Dick has been a frequent guest on C-Span, MSNBC, CNN, NPR and the BBC. He covered the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 presidential campaigns.
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