While I seldom agree with Saws, I will not join the "he's a troll" crew, nor will I denigrate him. It's become quite fashionable of late to designate anyone with whom one disagrees as a troll. He, as do we all, says some things that are from the viscera and not the brain. That doesn't necessarily make us trolls. Think about Joe McCarthy; he did exactly the same thing: "If your mother is a commie then you have to turn her in."

The tap-dance I see here so often is one of 'in order to support Obama I have to at least not talk about his screwups'. Then it descends to talk about "you don't like Obama because he's Black" horseshit. NO. If you ask me--which I realize you haven't--I don't like Obama because he signed into law the right of a free people to have no 'due process': fundamental to that right is habeas corpus. I do not give a rat's ass that the budget had to go through, Obama was egregiously wrong to sign it. Maybe he won't ever use it, but the door is now open for some fuck-head Republican to do so.

The historical 'reversal' of Dems and Repubs political positions is fact. It is not a matter of opinion. When it becomes a matter of opinion, it is no longer history. That said, it also doesn't matter.

Today, Republicans are desperately trying to give America back to the bankers, multinationals and moneyed interests, expecting no doubt to have their treason rewarded with a ticket to be in the group that gets to control the USA and all its people. Democrats don't seem to be that much better given that half of both the House and the Senate are millionaires.

We forget quite easily it seems Lincoln's remarks on September 18, 1858 (I remember the date because my birthday is one day before (and sometimes I feel in the same year)): "From 4th Lincoln/Douglas Debate, 1858
I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been in favor of bringing about in anyway the social and political equality of the white and black races - that I am not nor ever have been in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes, nor of qualifying them to hold office, nor to intermarry with white people; and I will say in addition to this that there is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I, as much as any other man, am in favor of having the superior position assigned to the white race. I say upon this occasion I do not perceive that because the white man is to have the superior position the negro should be denied everything.

The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume III, "Fourth Debate with Stephen A. Douglas at Charleston, Illinois" (September 18, 1858), pp. 145-146."

From even that snippet alone, I submit that Sawzaw is as allowed to and worthy of his opinion as is anyone else. He too loves his country.

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Different but similar:

I live in Quebec, Canada. I am an English Quebec-born man and there is a provincial election coming up in early September. I have three 'viable' parties from which to choose: PQ (Parti Quebecois) led by Marois; Liberal led by Charest and a new party called the CAQ led by Legault. The PQ wants separation from Canada, the CAQ wants to wait ten years and the Libs want to win. There is no one to vote for in the viable category, so I'm hoping a Marijuana Party or Rhino Party is in my voting district. Else, I shall go and print bad things on my ballot and give no one my X. (Makings of a C+W song there.)