DougR,

There were more wage earners,DougR, and they were earning more money than ever--That's why revenues went up, not taxes. Look it up if you don't believe me-

Since you mentioned Reagan, don't forget that he is the man whose tax cut for the wealthy moved the National Deficit to an all time record of around $425 Billion.my recollection, possibly foggy with passing years, is that during the much derided Carter Administration, the deficit had been around $168 Billion).

As to SS, Doug, you need to get with the program, because when you say it's in good shape, you are undercutting the new message from the Bush Team, which is that SS is in trouble and that we need to start providing private investment accounts--

Sorry to disagree with you Doug, but I think W is the biggest clown ever to hit Washington, and, unfortunately, in his short time in office, he has managed to alienate most of our allies and antagonize our adversaries--he is weak, and, unfortunately, everbody knows it, and is going to take advantage of it--Don't believe me? So-Damn-Insane is taking potshots at our aircraft--nearly hit one yesterday, nearly hit one again today--and if he hits one tomorrow, it will be another humiliation for us--

Meanwhile, he hasn't got the guts to put his foot down, and demand that Israel back off, they know it, and, it is said, are planning a major military offensive against the Palestinians, which will not go over big with the other Arabs, who, incidentally, are taking advantage of the fact that we won't let Iraq sell oil on the open market, and are in the process of limiting oil production to jack up the prices, yet again--For what it's worth, the increase in fuel prices, especially when winter comes again, should eat up those tax rebates quite nicely--

Now, Doug, it is true that Republicans have some valid points about things (though they tend to complain about how hard they work for the money that they earn, and how everbody else is getting a free ride) but couldn't you at least have chosen somebody to pursue those things who wasn't such a wimp?

The rest of the world is laughing at him, and tweaking his nose at every opportunity just because they can--