Don: I suppose it is possible to be a middle of the roader. Frankly, as I have stated in several threads, I don't know what that means. I suppose it would be one who believes in some liberal causes and some conservative causes. If that is the case, I, myself, probably lean in that direction. I believe in a woman's right to choose, which certainly puts me at odds with the majority of my party. I do agree with my party on energy issues, management of natural resources, fiscal policy, a need for a strong defense, and promotion of self-determination for people. I believe social services can be provided more efficiently to those who require them by the private sector rather than the government.

I do not believe my party wants to rape the Bill of Rights, or scuttle the Constitution. I do believe that a segment of our population (and a majority of the Mudcat community) have not yet grasped that we are in a war. A war like we have never been in before, with no troops in uniform to attack, no particular country to invade, and where our neighbors might be our enemy.

This type war, I believe, requires different ground rules for the population than previous wars did. Some rights that we take for granted, might have to be altered. My view is, if one does nothing wrong, he/she will not lose any rights. We might be inconvienced (as we currently are at airports)but the rights will not be lost. If I have lost any, I certainly am not aware of them. If suspected terrorists have lost them, right on, I say. They would like nothing better than to use our rights to destroy this nation.

And we are not in this alone. Though, at present, identifying our friends becomes increasingly harder to do. Were those same "friends" to feel as threatened as we do at the present time, I wonder who they would turn to for help?

I have about reached the point where I think we should just drop the whole thing, and let everyone fend for himself. Were we to do that, I predict we would find a lot of friends out there. Sudden, instantaneous friends.

As I said in the Bush thread, I realize I am not going to sway anyone to my point of view. Bobert, Kendall, and my other liberal friends are just as convinced they are right, as I am convinced I am right. So there is no winning in these theads, just sparring, and discussing.

I think George Bush is doing a fine job, as well as his whole administration. I do hope that he goes to the U. N. and asks for a resolution that would enable inspectors to go back into Iraq before we invade it. I don't think for a minute Saddam will agree unfettered access to his arsenal, and that is why I think there will be an invasion. It likely will have to be done without allies, but when we win, we will have allies running out our kazoo.

Ebbie: If you read this thread, it might give you a better idea where I am coming from than you could gather from my one-liners. Now I'm all out of breath and I'm gonna drink a beer and relax before the finest baseball team on earth begins it's game against San Francisco.

DougR