If we cannot speak about politics, why did you all drag me here? HA!

Becca, nice to see you. Keeping the right wingers here at bay in my absence I hope. I know you were a huge W fan back in the day. HA!

As for the President Elect, I like him. However, I was an Edwards guy pre-adultery and I don't know if Obama is quite progressive enough for me. We'll see what he does with his first 100 days. If he attempts to get healthcare passed, I may get his name inked to my arm or other appendage. I'm Irish so I'm glad his name wasn't Alexander. Okay, bad joke but at least it was JOKINGLY self-deprecating. Hope that didn't blur a guideline. I'd hate to get a reprimand after one thread. HA!

I'll have to check out that thread and see where everyone stood/stands. Although I wonder if it'll read like the old days!

We can say nice things about politics here, but what we can't do is call each other, A Right wing zealot or a left wing commie for instance..

I have to admit, Obama was not my first choice, but I guess that makes me an old fogie because my DD and her generation are all for him. I wish him well and hope he is an effective and fair Prez.

I enjoy talking politics. I have my morning coffee while watching "Washington Journal" on C-SPAN. I married into a Republican family and I get along with them just fine. I provide the Democratic balance

Cheers!

Niko

Or call Bush a %$^&@ or Barack a :-D))).

Cherie

Niko, I married a repuliban. She converted though. Took years.

I'm an independent Strk, married to a democrat. I work with mostly republicans. Since I supported Obama from the beginning of the primaries, there were some interesting days in the office, lol. I think I raised the collective blood pressure quite a few times when I voiced my opinions.

Strk and Ewiz --

I'm a Canadian citizen, living in the U.S., and unable to vote. However, I am much more politically opinioned than my DH. Sometimes, he will ask my opinion, and vote it. Sometimes, he has his own opinion, and, when he does, it may differ from mine.

If I could register, I would very definitely be a Democrat. DH did not vote in the 2008 elections, because he said he did not have a strong enough opinion to select one candidate over another.

I think, though, that my DD19, who has very little interest in politics, when she chose to vote Obama, did that for my sake, because I couldn't vote.

In the state of KS, however, it makes little difference who one votes for a presidential candidate, because KS electoral votes always go Republican.

I guess that, retaining my Canadian citizenship, even after approx. 25 years of living in the U.S., is my little way of rebelling, and making known that, deep down, I am still Canadian. Those are my roots, even though the U.S. is home and is family (my birth family still lives in Canada, but DH and my kids and his family are here).

I just disagree with so many decisions that the U.S. government makes on a global scale, that becoming "one of them" is just not something that I am currently willing to do.

Maybe that's understandable to Americans; I suspect many Americans, even if they lived outside the U.S., would also be reluctant to give up their citizenship.

~ Faith

Ewizabeth, if you're independent voting democrat you're good in my book.

Faith, I disagree with so many things the U.S. has done nationally and internationally. I think its difficult for many people to acknowledge that the U.S. isn't infallible. The war was one such thing that I was disappointed in. If you spoke against it early, you were criticized for "not supporting the troops" which was one of the silliest charges I heard. I digress. One of my biggest beefs is the national stuff, ie lack of healthcare, tax breaks for wealthy, etc. The gap between rich and poor is just disgusting.

So, I respect you keeping your citizenship. It could come in handy if you need to move back! HA!

Any way, end rant.

You're right, Strk. There are also many national policies that are also disgusting. Don't get me started on healthcare. We had to refinance our home, due to uncovered medical expenses, even though I was insured.

However, although I'm a huge believer in the concept of universal healthcare, I also do not believe that the Canadian system is without its problems. I was appalled when it took 5 weeks after my mom (in Canada) was dx w/ cancer to be able to see an oncologist. My goodness; she only lived 7 weeks after her dx! What were they waiting for?! I acknowledge that there was nothing doctors could have done to save her life, but that long gap in time seemed, to me, to be inexcusable. Following my hospitalization w/ neurological symptoms in the U.S., I was able to get an MRI the following day, and see a specialist within a week. I've said it before, but, IMO, both systems are broken.

~ Faith

Hi ya Strk3, long time no talk! We have missed ya that is for sure.

sorry it took me so long to respond, been absent for a little bit!