Don, your points are both well taken, and at least you stated them, without your usual name calling(mostly), to those who disagree.

On Afghanistan, whether we belong to an alliance or not, we still have to go to Congress, whether you like it or not. After all, they do, or are suppose to handle the funding....something this administration seems not to give a shit about, for any number of 'programs'. Agree?

"I'm nothing if not generous to those who need to go to ridiculous lengths to prop up their crumbling self-esteem."

Physician, heal thyself!

"I am just as unhappy about the way this country is being run as you are."

Then you might consider stopping your relentless support of 'causes' that are found to be in error!

"But I know, FOR A FACT that there are some truly honest politicians out there. I know a few personally. This is because I don't just talk about it. I am politically active. And the fact that I AM politically active gives me a great opportunity to observe things from close up, and it also gives me a pretty good education on how things work. Or DON'T work, as the case may be."

At first I couldn't tell if you were bragging or complaining! The same thing I posted about 'protesters' can easily be applied to 'activists'. Just because a person is 'active' is not a guarantee that his views are accurate...he's just active! it may be noted, that though one might not question your sincerity, and whether or not you are sincere, it is no reason for YOU not to question whether you may be 'sincerely wrong'!

And as to the 'human rights' issue, again, that is only defined as what political rose colored glasses you're looking through...For instance, what about the human rights issue in Iran??? Egypt?? Venezuela??..here, as to their 'right' for people to dissent, en mass, and form an appendage, to either political party, without the hate and discontent being aimed at them by BOTH sides?? Or is that confined to human rights, only defined by either or both sides, as what is defined by 'human'?..or rights'
I am NOT a Tea Partier, nor Republican, nor Democrat...but I can listen to each of their raps, and see certain truths, and fallacies in any one of their persuasive 'issues'.
I think its high time, that we begin to remember that we are Americans, who generally are both selfish, materialistic, but also a generous people. Stirring up, any segment to hate, resent or close off, only brings divisions and isolation to us all, for the common good, of us, and to the rest of the world, to whom we may be able to help, or trade, or ally ourselves with. By in large, the PEOPLE of America, don't 'HATE' any segmented group of anyone on the map...other than those who, through propaganda, we are 'taught' to hate, resent,(etc. etc.)
What is happening, though, by this administration, AND PREVIOUS ONES, AS WELL, is the pass, that they give, not to the just the 'rich', but to the very people corrupting them, and well as us as a nation, in their quest to usurp power AWAY from our very form of government, and make way for THEIR preferential treatment, to implement 'laws' and favors, to accommodate THEIR wills, which often intrudes on the rights, of WE, as a people! In this matter, you have NO argument!!
That being said, let's not confuse, REAL issues with trumped up phony issues, not based on fact, but rather on the laying a premise, for yet another, basis for constraining us, taking AWAY more of our freedom and liberty, for their profits and power over our lives!!!
I have NO issues, with the 'rich', if they earned it, and earned it legitimately, without imposing their wills on other people's rights!

Regards,
GfS