OK, this came to me yesterday from a friend of mine. I asked her if she

[CaliforniaPeggy]

really agreed with ALL of it; I haven't heard back from her yet. I'm still seeing red. What do you all think?


>> I WOULD VOTE FOR THIS DEAL IN ONE (1) MINUTE AND TELL ALL THE
>>LIBERALS TO GO STRAIGHT TO HELL.
>>
>> LEE LESTER
>> E-8 USAF,RET
>>
>>WHAT DO YOU THINK???
>>
>>WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT,
>>DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?
>>
>>My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been
>>completed.
>>Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our
>>mission in Iraq is complete.
>>This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American
>>forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now
>>to begin the reckoning.
>>Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries
>>which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is
>>short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are
>>some of the countries listed there.
>>The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the
>>world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing
>>copies of both lists later this evening.
>>Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those
>>nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved
>>during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the
>>Iraqi war.
>>The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world
>>Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.
>>Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France.
>>
>>In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this
>>money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home.
>>On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we
>>will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face
>>of the earth.
>>Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China.
>>I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France,
>>Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring
>>from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.
>>
>>I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN
>>diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid
>>parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded
>>and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You
>>creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets
>>tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over
>>to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York .
>>
>>A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are
>>likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try
>>not pissing us off for a change.
>>
>>Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government
>>really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and
>>infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep,
>>border security. So start doing something with your oil.
>>
>>Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA treaty -
>>starting
>>now.
>>We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for
>>oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for
>>decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision,
>>I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.
>>
>>It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens.
>>Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn
>>tootin."
>>
>>Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the
>>world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the
>>planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to
>>eliminate homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup
>>Soccer from America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks
>>guys. We owe you and we won't forget.
>>
>>To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to
>>speak Arabic.
>>
>>God bless America. Thank you and good night.
>>
>>If you can read this, thank a teacher.
>>If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.
>>
>>(Please forward this to at least ten friends and see what happens! Let's
>>get this to every USA computer!)
>>
>>
>>
>
> _________________________________________________________________

[LisaM]

1. They forgot Uzbekistan!

Ask her about that little deal with the devil.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. What an excellent idea!

Thanks for that, LisaM! Indeed, that is a deal with the devil...

[Aiptasia]

2. aaaah my retinas!! my retinas are rejecting my eyeballs

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. It is a bit much, isn't it?

But I think it's worth scorched retinas to read this...We need to know what the freepers are up to, IMHO!

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

4. To paraphrase Ben Kenobi in Star Wars:

"That's no friend, that's a FREEPER!"
No real friend would send you this crap.
Jingoistic, blow-em-all-up rah rah stuff like this makes me mad, too.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

8. I nearly agree with you...

We really get along well...as long as we don't talk politics! It's very upsetting.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

20. I've had to leave all my right-wing friends behind.

One of them called my dad an "evil man" for being a Shriner (Belonging to the Freemasons is evil, don't you know.) and another one pretty much admitted to another friend of mine (he didn't know I was within earshot) that he says all that right-wing stuff just to piss me off becuase he thinks its funny when I get mad at him. (He has control issues in his family: he wants to be in control, but his wife spends all the money and nearly makes the family go bankrupt every few months. She has a gambling problem, and he can't control it, so he tries to control me.)

So I've decided that I cannot even be friends with someone if they don't share my beliefs and outlook on life.

Here's hoping you get this settled. I hate losing friends.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

28. Thank you, Hong Kong Cavalier...

I hope so too. She and I share a birthday and we've been friends for many years. Since she retired, she's gotten a lot more vocal about her right-wing views, and it's making me crazy... I don't know what I'm going to do now.

[shoelace414]

5. LIAR!

The money saved
>>during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the
>>Iraqi war.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. Oh, I agree completely! nt

[northzax]

42. actually, it's not far off

if you look at it closely and probably not from the perspective this person is thinking of.

For instance, the US spent 17 billion dollars in non-military foriegn aid in 2004. All of that is gone. In addition, the US spent roughly $80 billion in aid to Iraq (certainly Iraq didn't support the war, right?) My caculations are that only about 1 billion of the foriegn aid budget would survive, since Israel and Egypt take up about 9 billion combined, there's not a lot of room.

So actually, cancelling all aid to countries that opposed the war would, in fact, only take 2.5 years to pay for itself. brilliant! And since this is an old email, it was only 150 billion that had to be paid, that's only 18 months.

I agree we should unilaterally cancel all alliances with non-supporting nations. We can immeditely leave our bases in Europe, Japan, South Korea and almost everywhere else. Certainly we can maintain the protection of Taiwan basing our navy in Hawaii, right? and surely North Korea will listen to us more from Hawaii, right? What a fabulous idea! (course, we also have to close GitMo, but hey, whatever.

[ET Awful]

6. Hmmm, Spain pulled out their troops and I believe Poland did too

So I'm not sure what your ignorant "friend" is talking about.

As to paying for the Iraq war, her beloved leader said that oil money would pay for it and it would cost under $2 billion.

In short, your friend, or whoever sent this to your friend is an ignorant git.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. I think so too...

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

15. REALLY?

Are you a Democrat, a progressive, or a Republican?

[johnnie]

18. Yeah, that's typical

Me me me me me me me me me me me me me me.. Typical Repug mentality. I feel sorry for the people who think like that. Their lives must blow.
:hi:

[Swede]

54. So next time the USA starts a bullshit war,you better believe us.

Fucking brilliant.

[NoPasaran]

11. anyboDy who believes this kinD of garbage has shit for brains

[CaliforniaPeggy]

13. That was my take on it, also...

People are strange, IMHO...

[johnnie]

14. That's been around for a while

The sad thing is that many people think it is the way America should be.
It would be funny if it wasn't so pitiful. It's strange how so many of these types of emails are floating around the Internet, but I rarely get a "bullshit piece" like this concerning liberal views. The people that come up with this crap seem to be angry, small-minded idiots that probably have done nothing in their lives to help another human being, but will sit around bitching and moaning about how THEY think everything should be. Even if it was what they wanted, they would still whine about how things should be.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

19. Thanks, johnnie...

Couldn't agree with you more. You state it better than I can...

[TrogL]

16. And then the fun begins

>>This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American
forces from Iraq.

By noon, Iraq had declared itself an Islamic fundamentalist state dedicated to the destruction of the United States.

Sorry about that.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

21. Indeed...

I'm quite sure there are elements there already who have that goal firmly in mind...We've just helped reinforce them in that by our actions. (And by Us I mean the USA...not the Dems or other progressives who oppose the war.)

[JimmyJazz]

17. Wow! shallow thoughts by Sean Insanity...

:eyes:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

23. Thanks JJ!

Shallow indeed...so many believe this drivel, and that makes me crazy! Doesn't take much, these days...

[Aristus]

22. Okay, so what they're saying is:

"If you don't help us kill people, destroy property, and cause untold misery and horror in Iraq, we won't help you alleviate suffering, rebuild broken countries, and lend hope and comfort to those in despair the world over."

And these people claim to follow Jesus, huh? Boy, are they going to get a surprise when He comes back!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

25. Hi, Aristus!

They claim to follow Jesus! Can we spell hypocrisy? It stinks, all of it...

[Aristus]

32. You got that right, CalPeg.

Care to join me for a moment of hating right-wingers? :grr:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

34. You got it, my dear Aristus!

:grr:


:nuke:

[Aristus]

36. Okay, I feel better now.

You always make me feel better. :-)

For some reason, I'm reminded of Thomas Jefferson's famous assertion: "I tremble for my country when I realize that God is just."

[CaliforniaPeggy]

39. Thanks, Aristus!

You make me feel better, too...

I really like that quote from Jefferson. I also love the quote in your sig line...:hi:

[Aristus]

41. I've loved that Byron quote for years; it encapsulates beautifully

all of Lord Byron's magical, tragic grandeur. (Okay, he did some tawdry things, too, but he did them poetically, at least.)

I was going to write a war novel once, a fairly typical story about how young, idealistic men are changed and scarred by the horrors of war And the title was going to be "...And if I laugh...", with the full quote printed on the dedication page.

Never really finished it, though. :(

[CaliforniaPeggy]

43. That's too bad, Aristus...

Writing anything lengthy is difficult. But I'll bet your book would have been very good...It's a terrific idea. A writer friend of mine said once that writing is rather like looking at a blank piece of paper until blood appears on it. I think so too.

[Aristus]

45. The best piece of fiction I ever actually completed was a short story

called "Labor Omnia Vincit". It was kind of a pastiche about political correctness, religious fanaticism, political control over the public schools and that kind of thing. I liked it when I first wrote it, but looking at it now, it's kind of sloppy and amateurish. I can't seem to put down on paper the words I have in my head.

[KurtNYC]

24. Here is a response - Total Foreign Aid = $17 billion, Iraq War = $300B

not that something as unfounded and fantasy-based as this deserves one.

http://www.forbes.com/2003/09/08/cx_da_0908topnews_print.html

President George Bush last night proposed $87 billion in new spending to fight terrorism. While most of the money will go to military operations to wage war on terror in Iraq ($51 billion) and Afghanistan ($11 billion), about $20 billion is for the reconstruction of Iraq. If the money is appropriated, the U.S. will soon spend more on Iraq aid than it does on aid to the rest of the world combined.

The $87 billion would come on top of the $79 billion that Congress approved in April for the initial costs of the war and its aftermath and for worldwide efforts against terrorism. The new figure is at the high end of recent estimates, despite the fact that the president said that the current troop count in Iraq, 130,000 U.S. forces, was adequate. But the more startling figure will be in what can be termed economic aid or reconstruction costs.

In 2004, the U.S. budget for international assistance programs around the world was $17 billion, less than 1% of the federal budget overall. Now the U.S. may spend more than that on a single country. The current U.S. budget allocates $4.4 billion of the $17 billion to what the Office of Management and Budget calls "foreign military financing." The second-largest line item is "economic support," which comes to $2.5 billion.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

33. Now this is the sort of thing that I was hoping I would get here...

Thanks for posting it, even if you don't feel that my fantasy-based piece deserves it...When I'm feeling calmer and more focused, I will read what you've sent...

[KurtNYC]

44. I was refering to what SHE sent you as being "fantasy-based"

:-)

My thought is that if she believes, or WANTS to believe, that RW spam then facts like real numbers probably won't be welcomed.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

47. Ooops! I misunderstood you. Sorry...

I'm not sure if she wouldn't accept real numbers. She's a highly educated and liberated woman. I may try this.

Thank you for the clarification! After lunch, I tend to be sleepy and I don't always get what's being said...Especially when it's complex, intellectual stuff like yours.

[YankeyMCC]

26. I get crap like this from a family friend

not my friend but the brother of a close friend of my mother. Anyway some how I got on this guy's mailing list and he started sending me stuff like this.

I was ignoring it but eventually I responded in hopes of getting of his list. :) So I pointed out a few lies in the last couple of things he sent.

I told my mother and her response was, "You didn't hurt his feelings did you?"

Good thing she's my mother I would not have reacted nicely to anyone else who said that to me.

[Shoeempress]

27. Where did you find the "friend"? Have you ever discussed anything of

any importance with her?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

29. She ran/owned a business that I frequented for many years...

She just retired last year. I knew she was conservative, but since she was in business, she didn't say a whole lot about her views. Once in a while she would, and then we would disagree...We've had a lot of discussions over the years. Usually she would win since she remembers things a lot better than I do.. I remember stuff later...it was always frustrating to me to argue with her. She's really smart. When we stay away from politics, we have a great time.

[Shoeempress]

31. Do you really want to maintain a relationship with someone who

knows your political beliefs and sends crap like that to you?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

35. Right now, I couldn't tell you...

Mostly we've had good times. We'll see...I'll wait and see how she responds to my email yesterday...I'd like to think that maybe I can make her see the wrong-headedness of this piece. If I cut her off, then no dialogue can happen...

[DS1]

30. Ok, so France, Germany, Japan and China all demand PAYMENT

in full for their loans to U.S. Companies, or they follow suit and immediately cease all exports to the U.S.

The U.S. quickly runs out of steel, titanium, and other goods required to maintain an Army (not to mention that a lot of those countries on the list supply us with 85% of our oil supply), and after our infrastructure is worn-out/immobilized, they wipe us all out. And if we put up with this approach, we'd deserve it.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

37. I doubt things will get that far...

Although you never know, what with how crazy * is, and his whole administration...What a mess.

[Bouncy Ball]

49. Exactly.

That whole email acts as if we don't get anything from any countries on "list 2."

And I have news for whomever wrote this or is waiting for it to happen: HOLD. YOUR. BREATH.

:rofl:

[CaliforniaPeggy]

52. I'm with you, Bouncy Ball!

Unfortunately, the only thing that happens when you hold your breath long enough is that you'll pass out. You don't die...


:banghead:

[mogster]

38. Well, it's not all bad

I sense despair... :evilgrin:

And if all war ends, Bush is meat.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

40. Hi, mogster!

Thanks for stopping by! I hope it's not all bad. I hope you're correct. But right now, I just don't know. I do suspect that * is planning another war to make all the fools in the US rally around him. Because war makes people support the President.

I don't see any end to wars; not yet. Not while these criminals are in office, I don't.

[mogster]

46. Um, yes, you probably got a point there

Not wise to trust the Repubs until Bush is gone and proper government returned, I guess.
But somehow I think Galloway's frank speech got to them, at least we' re to judge from the freeper reactions. Among the usual snipes, there was real admiration for the man.

He's a man of the people, Galloway, you know. A straight shooter. And they like that in Bush, although I can't for the life of me understand where they see it, lol!

Well, the content of the mail was pure bull, so we'll see, I guess.

Have you found a place on the wall for that painting yet? :-)

[CaliforniaPeggy]

48. You mean the one I bought from Longgrain?

Yes, I have a spot picked out! It'll be a while before it gets there though, since right now it's getting framed. I should have it in a couple of weeks. Then you'll see the pic! Thanks for asking!

I agree about Galloway. He knows how to stand up and make himself heard! Now if only we could get some Americans to do the same thing!

:pals:

[skygazer]

50. My response to any email like this that I receive

(and I receive plenty of them from my father) is always the same -

"Please do not send me any more of this junk. If you would like to discuss politics, I would be glad to but I prefer to do so in my own thoughts and words and would like you to do the same. Sending crap like this is a waste of my time. I'm not going to spend the time necessary to rebut every point that someone else made - why should I do all the work in a political discussion? In addition, these canned messages simply throw together a bunch of unrelated data in an effort to make it seem relevant. If you have opinions of your own, share them with me. You can keep this nonsense for yourself."

[CaliforniaPeggy]

51. Hi there, skygazer!

I may just cut and paste your text into one of my own...That is an excellent idea, IMHO! Probably would put an end to 99% of the BS I'm getting these days...

[MrScorpio]

53. Let me give you the opinion of another retired Air Force dude...

That guy is an IDIOT

That's all I have to say

[CaliforniaPeggy]

55. Thanks, MrScorpio!

I always appreciate hearing from people who have actually BEEN there, and know what they're talking about! I'm not expert like you are, and I appreciate your input a lot!


:yourock:

[xmas74]

56. Give her the link for the Oreo Cookie budget.

It's an easy way to understand our budget in the US.

http://www.truemajority.org/oreo

Make her argue her way out of that argument. I've done the presentation for eight year olds and they understood it perfectly so she should be able to also.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

57. Thanks, xmas74!

I just watched the video, and it's first rate! Thanks for the link.

[xmas74]

60. I found it for my niece.

She's 8, almost 9 years old. She was supposed to write something for school about the economy. I found the site, watched it and reenacted it for her. Her teacher was very impressed w/ the paper that she wrote. She told her teacher about what I did and the teacher invited me in to do it for the rest of the class.

[Parche]

58. comedy central

"Its time for America to focus on its own welfare, and its own citizens"

So is that why we have been sending $300 billion to Iraq, and closing schools/police/fire depts here?

[CaliforniaPeggy]

59. Indeed! talk about inconsistency...

plus hypocrisy...see above! Makes me want to scream or throw up, or both!

[Lorien]

61. She opens by telling you to go to hell

that's no friend, IMO. I'd debunk this entire load of delusional crap and then tell her never to contact me again-I've cut pretty much any Freeper out of my life completely, but everyone has to weigh the pros and cons of any relationship, I guess.

Here's one that was fucking hysterical: "Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for
decades to come". Um, no. It will take care of the state of California for a few months at best-ten years from now. It will cost the taxpayers billions. The oil companies don't really profit-they're lukewarm on ANWR at best. But Halliburtan, Kellog, Brown and Root and the usual suspects stand to make a killing just as they have in Iraq-charging us through the nose for "infrastructure". Your friend may as well be bending over and asking for it-and you know what? I'm betting that she's against driving a fuel efficient car or investing in alternative energy!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

62. You could be right about those environmental views; I don't know...

She and I haven't discussed them. But you are so very correct about ANWR...Somehow drilling there makes me think of raping virgins...I don't know why. What I've read about that drilling is that the fundies want to do it because they know that this makes the environmentalists crazy, pure and simple. No other reason at all.

[Lorien]

66. The repugs stated as much

some members of the GOP actually stated that "drilling in ANWR is a symbolic defeat of liberalism". I can't remember the title of the article, but it was in the LA times at the beginning of the year.

[Bullwinkle925]

63. Vitriolic diatribe. Totally right-wing hate-mongering.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

64. My take on it exactly...

I appreciate your stopping by to share, I really do!

[TOhioLiberal]

65. What a bunch of Male bovine droppings!

especially this part:

>>In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this
>>money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home.

the only 'vexing social problem' he'll fix is yet another TAX CUT!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

67. Yes, more stuff for his rich friends!

No others need apply...