All this talk of Homeless Voting while important, seems to miss the point of the article a little bit. 

Foreclosure notices do not always mean that the person no longer lives at that address it is proof of exactly nothing. 

What the Republican party is doing is creating a hostile enviornment clogging the polling stations and doing everything they can to keep voters away from the polls in those districts that may swing to the other side.

If they were really concerned about voter fraud,(and much like Pro-life, who isn't?) these concerned citizens would be creating a much broader program designed to help people and not a targeted hinderance.

Just Tacky and Mean.

These are the same types that wanted to make sure that no convicted felons were on the rolls during the 2000 election in Florida, and managed to have people with the same initials and close spellings pulled out...nice.

Don

~Standing Ovation~

Jodi: If my son's had the attitude you have, I would be very ashamed of them

Christopher: Well if my mother had your attitude I'd be ashamed of her.

Jodi: LOL I would have respected you more if you would have answered with this:"I am rubber, you are glue. Whatever you say bounces off of me and sticks to you."?

Our founding also chose to leave off the implementation of a personal income tax, Geoff.  The fact is that the sometimes competing platforms of our political parties does serve as a somewhat moderating force regarding the direction of the nation.  In reality, and despite Washington's personal perspective (though not his practice), political parties were as endemic, if not more so, in post-colonial America as they are today. The only real difference is that we rarely see modern politicians studying Donald McBane and engaging in duels with either shortsword or pistol...more's the pity.

The term "checks and balances" relates specifically to the type of government the founders created.  Actions by political parties was not what that term was intended to mean.  No one disputed that political movements often moderate each other, but it is not the role of the democrats to check or balance the republicans (or vice versa).  It is the role for each party to pursue its agendas.  The point of checks and balances, from a constitutional standpoint, is that the protections guaranteed by the consitition are to be protected by each equal branch of the government.  Scott's use of the term was incorrect (though not uncommon) hence my post.  I am not quite sure what your point was.

Should only the rich afford a higher education?  Is that really what's best for America? 

***************

That's hardly the case now, Mike. Plenty of people who aren't rich go to college. Many get grants and scholarships. Virtually all private colleges have financial aid programs for needy students. Others get student loans or get their college education paid for through the military. And some people actually work their way through school. (You know, that old "pulling yourself up by your bootstraps" deal that we conservatives like to drone on about.)

The biggest stumbling block to universal, free college education is one of cost. K-12 education already is the single biggest line item in the government's budget (when you combine state, local and federal spending). Throw in college and the price tag becomes prohibitive.

There already are many different avenues for a poor person who truly wants a college education to get one. These are worthwhile and should be supported, but opening the doors to everyone for free isn't practical. I don't even think Obama is proposing we go that far, is he?

There already are many different avenues for a poor person who truly wants a college education to get one. These are worthwhile and should be supported, but opening the doors to everyone for free isn't practical. I don't even think Obama is proposing we go that far, is he?

Its news to me if he is.  He may want more funding for federal student loan programs.  Significant (and substantive) difference there!

The biggest stumbling block to universal, free college education is one of cost. K-12 education already is the single biggest line item in the government's budget (when you combine state, local and federal spending). Throw in college and the price tag becomes prohibitive.

Bruce this is the thing about your party I don't get, we are spending 2 billion a week in Iraq, but yet your party does nothing to stop that, then say we already spend too much on education.

I don't want all the money spent in Iraq to be moved to education, our country can not afford it. If I had to pick though, I would rather be swimming in debt because we have educated our citizens, then made some contractors wealthy beyond belief.

Bruce, you are correct, he is not.

And, you are correct - I was managed to work my way through college and am now in debt for the rest of my life because of it, but, speaking as a person who was in dire poverty at the time, I did make it through.

Education should not be any sort of walk in the park.  It should be something you have to work at to get through (unless you're just naturally smart like me!) ((that was a joke.))  (((But seriously, I'm way fuckin' smart.))) - but that work should be educational, not financial, would be my gut feeling.