"I'm a republican, but..."

[CrispyQ]

My truck has been in & out of the shop this past week for an elusive electrical problem. When I took it back the second time, the owner of the shop followed me to my truck to try & start it. As he was getting in, he told me, "I'm a republican, but I completely agree with that bottom sticker! I worry how much damage he & Cheney will do in the next year."

Since I wanted my truck fixed correctly without labor over-charges, I didn't ask who he voted for in '04. Instead, I told him that even though he is a republican, he should check out Joe Biden. "I think you will find he is reasonable, intelligent, a straight shooter & he can work with both sides of the isle." "Maybe I will," he said. "I'm not too thrilled with any of the republican candidates."

[K Gardner]

1. Nice.... I agree Biden has a very good chance of appealing to disenchanted republicans n/t

[Warpy]

2. There are good and reasonable people out there who are GOP

and for various reasons, they've just been wrong about a lot of things. Good people should be allowed to be wrong, and should be gently corrected when they are. You did a good job of doing just that.

[Rosemary2205]

3. With all due respect.

I just CAN'T vote for Biden. It's that Bankruptcy Bill. I realize it's "only one thing" but to me it just shows a lack of true understanding on his part what the "great unwashed" are going through out here. I don't expect to be pandered to, I just want a fair shake....and that requires someone in the hot seat who really does have a clue on what it's like to live one or two paychecks away from disaster.

[mrigirl]

8. Biden wasn't the only Dem who voted on that bill- you cannot put 100%

of the blame solely on him- the bill would have passed regardless even if he didn't show up to vote. Since Biden knew the bill was going to pass no matter what he did- he did what he could and added protection of mothers who recieve child support that have their exes filing for bankruptcy. Before if you were paying support and in the middle of a bankrupcy hearing you didn't have to pay for your kids. Joe did what he could with that bill. You can't only blame him here- you have to blame ALL the Dems that voted for it.
Peace. Biden 2008!

[Rosemary2205]

11. .....

none of the other Dems who supported it have run for for an office that would require my vote. And, though I blame them too, they do not require my vote. If Biden were to win the Nom, I'd vote for him in the general. But it would be a "lesser of 2 evils" vote. He's not the only one in the pack I feel that way about. I don't think he's a bad person, I just think he's had it so good for so long he just doesn't understand what life is like out here on the edge. My first choice is always someone who "gets it" and who I think has the fortitude to go toe to toe to the bitter end with the elite.

[jillan]

16. Hopefully you are not voting for Hillary or Edwards then -

http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=102959

[mrigirl]

19. Biden is the closest candidate to the middle class that is running.

He has lived paycheck to paycheck. His father was a car salesman. He grew up w/ hardly anything. He also was a single father raising 2 boys for 5 years after his first wife and daughter died in a car wreck. This man knows what we go through everyday. His net worth is paltry. His wife is a schoolteacher and they live quite modestly. Joe even though he's been a Senator for 35 yrs is the 2nd poorest Senator! He has never recieved handouts or taken oppurtunities like others to make money from lobbyists. Biden's the guy next door. Biden gets the middle class and how hard it is lately for all of us.

I went to college and do MRI and CT -been in imaging since I was 20 yrs old- 33 now- and my husband and I are still living paycheck to paycheck. In the middle of putting an addition on my gram's house we bought (that only had 1 bedroom ) we have watched w/ utter horror the cost of living skyrocket since 2004 when we were married. It's very scary right now w/ everything going up food, oil, etc. We wonder if we'll be able to afford to have our own baby in 2008-2009. I have a stepson that is 15 that my husband pays support for and is going to college in 2 yrs. How will we pay for it? Finish this house? And have a kid at the same time? Last week I applied for a 2nd job per diem in Boston out of desperation. Sucks, yes but right now while no little kids at home might as well. Anything to get ahead in this ridiculous rat race!

[Madrone]

29. ...closest candidate to the middle class that is running

After Kucinich, you mean. ;)

[Think82]

27. Biden is 99th in the Senate in terms of wealth

If you're going to let 1 vote get in the way of nominating the best candidate we have in every possible way, fine. I feel you haven't looked into Biden enough if that is the case, though.

[1corona4u]

10. That's fine, as long as you understand why he did so...

As I have posted many, many, times on this board, Joe voted for the BK bill, for women and children. Under the old BK laws, divorced women with children were the last ones to be paid, if the deadbeat dad filed a BK. Now, they are the first ones to be paid. If you ever question why Joe votes for anything, go look at the floor statements on his website. They will clearly give you an idea of where his interest were. Not in some bank, as has been previously speculated on. There's just no denying that Joe has stood up for women's rights, in a big way. As in the violence against women act, and now, the International violence against women act. But, no "bill" will ever work for all people. There are a lot of people who respect the revisions of the 2005 BK bill. I am one of them.

My best friend is about to reap the rewards of this bill. Her X has just filed a BK, after leaving her without ANY child support, for 2 children, 8 & 6, for 4 years, and just on Thursday of last week, thought that he could get out of paying her by filing a BK. Well, it's people like him that will not be able to get away with it now. He claimed to have lost his 135K yr. job, and had protested ANY request for documentation for his current financial status. Her attorney called for deposition, forcing discovery. Then came back and filed a BK. I know for a fact that he hid money, and that he is also still working, under the table. Under the new law, he will be fully investigated by the courts.

A Senator sometimes has to vote for a bad bill, if there is something in it they truly want. I believe that was Joe's dilemma on the BK bill. But you can look for yourself, and see his financial contributions from banks from 1989, and it's not very impressive.

JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.: CAREER PROFILE (SINCE 1989)

Top Industries
The top industries supporting Joseph R. Biden Jr. are:
1 Lawyers/Law Firms $6,265,871
2 Real Estate $1,172,230
3 Retired $853,148
4 Securities & Investment $839,775
5 Misc Finance $499,470
6 Misc Business $462,641
7 Business Services $455,925
8 Health Professionals $382,275
9 TV/Movies/Music $364,666
10 Lobbyists $333,185
11 Finance/Credit Companies $294,650
12 Misc Manufacturing & Distributing $294,249
13 Pro-Israel $272,700
14 Commercial Banks $269,050
15 Education $249,725
16 Insurance $223,975
17 Retail Sales $186,400
18 General Contractors $175,550
19 Accountants $136,935
20 Democratic/Liberal $129,490

So, that's about a $563,000 bucks in 18 years. Or $31,000 a year in contributions. I doubt he did it for the banks, at all.

[gratuitous]

18. Factor in a couple of other contributors

Real Estate, Securities & Investments, Misc. Finance and Misc. Business (whatever that means), and Business Services, and you're looking at a slightly bigger haul for his last 18 years, which has earned Biden his sobriquet at the "Senator from MBNA." His history of connections and favors for the finance industry at the expense of small depositors and individual borrowers is well-documented.

I don't know what sort of president Biden might make, and if he is the Democratic nominee, I'll vote for him. But he's quite unconcerned with creating a fairer playing field when it comes to individuals and the big banking and financial industries.

[1corona4u]

21. ...

:eyes:

Banks & credit companies. Period. You're pulling in things that aren't even in the mix. Me? I'm not wasting my vote for someone that doesn't have a snowballs chance in hell of winning. Joe has a chance, and will demolish ANY candidate fromn the right.

[gratuitous]

24. Weren't you talking about the bankruptcy bill?

Not just banks and credit card companies benefit from making it harder for individual consumers to make a fresh start. The other industries I listed were clearly favored by passage of the bankruptcy bill. Biden record as a senator shows over and over that he is no friend of the consumer when consumers' interests conflict with the big money boys. That's all I'm saying.

[1corona4u]

25. You can think what you like.

It doesn't mean it's true. Which in this case, the evidence supports the fact that it is not.

Have a nice life. Good luck to your candidate.

[Froward69]

30. I had to chime in.

um well I am one of those unwashed. I am a self employed small business owner. I am a landlord. you may think i am a "Big money boy" I however am not. I have an 11 unit building. When all is full after all the bills i make about $700 per month. when someone skips or does not pay the rent. I try to be reasonable and allow the tenant to try to catch up... 9 of 10 times the tenant simply moves out owing 1-2 months rent. ok I spend around $200-$400 to turn over a unit. in those instances, I never saw the rent, nor the expenses of turn over. as well as the unit may stand 1-2 months vacant. Under the old rules the amount owed (simply rent) was just dismissed in bankruptcy. I was never even notified the tenant was in bankruptcy under the old rules. now I receive letters asking me how much I would accept to settle the overdue amount. I am placed on the same plain as the banks and credit card companies. so all you are saying to me is it was ok for me to be stiffed. reckless spending and abuse of the system was rampant I was simply left out of what was owed to me. Under the new rules this abuse of the small business owner has been curbed. if you were fired or quit and started your own business wouldn't you want to be paid for your services? living on the edge is a way of life for Us on our own. I for one am happy Joe Biden helped make the small business owner equal to The banks and credit card company in court. Bankruptcy is supposed to be the last resort. too many people got used to filing for bankruptcy to dismiss monies owed. while hiding assets in other states. Or simply retaining assets altogether. when I was in business school I was trained to utilize bankruptcy to bolster the bottom line. viewing it as a "Fresh start" is a gross misnomer. exactly who gets the Fresh start? I still missed my mortgage payment... getting stiffed is not healthy Economics. Bankruptcy has a Domino effect to small business. and if small business is snuffed out what curb on big business is there? paying ones debts is basic. the new rules of bankruptcy forces the debtor into a budget, he/she/they should have had and stuck to, to begin with.

[gratuitous]

38. I used to work in bankruptcy

And of all the bankruptcies I shepherded through the system, none of them was due to $400 owed in back rent. I suppose it's out of the qusetion that you could screen your applicants a little closer, but what's to be done?

Some of the folks went bankrupt because they lived beyond their means, and had large credit card debts (five figures). These were mostly younger people in their twenties who had banks and other financial services folks almost literally throwing credit cards at them. I don't deny that there has been and might still be abuse of the system. But it was the banks and the financial services folks who laid their own trap, extending expensive credit to young people, knowing that they didn't have any kind of record for managing their personal finances. To make up for the inevitable defaults, these introductory credit cards had their rates set anywhere from 18% to 26% APR by the financial institutions. When they couldn't get enough suckers at rates that would make a loan shark blush, they began offering "teaser" rates of 9% and 10% for six months before doubling or tripling the APR. (Take a look at the subprime mortgage mess; anything look familiar? And it's largely the same players involved, so it should be no surprise that they used the exact same tactics to inveigle unsophisticated buyers into overbuying real estate that they used to sell overpriced credit.)

However, the majority of folks (and here I'm talking about anywhere from 75% to 90% of them) filing for bankruptcy did so because of medical bills due to uninsured or underinsured accidents or illness. To streamline filling out forms, we had a list of creditors on a document, and the hospitals and major area medical clinics led off the list, which we would just have folks check off.

I'm so glad that the new bankruptcy rules get you a few dollars on the back side to save you the front side trouble of checking references when you're renting to folks. But the people really making out well from the new rules are indeed the big money boys to the detriment of bankrupts, who are reduced to a state not unlike wage slavery or 19th century debtors' prisons, working for years to make good on the poor business decisions of financial institutions that know better. And one of the Senators who's most indebted to these sharks is Joe Biden.

As I said, if Biden's the Democratic nominee, I'll vote for him. But I don't harbor any illusions about who butters his bread.

[UpInArms]

14. old joltin' joe lost me when he said to Gonzo -

I really love ya, man.

:puke:

and then he went and opened the door to more disasters.

oh well...

there are others in the field that appeal to me much much more than Biden ever could.

[Think82]

26. Ummmm seriously? Biden was the first ot call for his resignation and voted against his confirmation

Not sure where you are coming from

[JustAnotherGen]

4. LOL

That warms my heart. I'm not supporting Joe Biden in the Primary - but certainly would support him if he ends up being our candidate. I think it's great that:
1. A Republican sees things for what they are and . . .

2. You took an opportunity to put a bug in a Republican's ear about one of the the people running that is not getting the Clinton and Obama press.


Maybe - they'll take a second look at the Democratic Party in 2008.

Thanks!

[Zueda]

5. I think Biden would...

make a great Sec. of State!

[CrispyQ]

6. ...and an even better President!

;)

[1corona4u]

12. He'd make a great prez.

He is not going to accept any position, other than P. he has said this many times, and he means it. He's probably the only one that says it that means it. He's got more power in the senate than he ever would as VP, or SOS. He's not going to give up 35 years in the senate for less than P. It's all or nothing for him.

[gateley]

7. It must be really difficult for Republicans who placed their hopes in this man

to observe what he's done and is doing to our country. I kind of feel for them -- SOME of them. I feel confident that their faith in our country will be restored when we have a Dem back in the WH -- and I hope they help us put one there!

[jillan]

9. Great story! It must be tough to be a republican with a conscience these days!

[HughMoran]

13. Being a Republican these days has definitely lost much of it's luster

Nice to see them on the downslope - I just hope we can capture the WH before the mood shifts due to some unforeseen event.

[Swamp Rat]

28. To where will that mood shift, and what type of unforeseen event would cause it to shift there?

I thought you were going to entertain a hypothetical situation. I am truly disappointed. :D

In the long run, I believe, the more the refucklicans are in charge of the White House and other branches of the government, the more Americans will become angry in response to the results of their political ineptitude and outright greed.

[tammywammy]

15. Good luck with that electrical problem

Those can be really hard to figure out sometimes.

[Buzz Clik]

17. Why this story is easy to believe (unless you're an idiot)

[CrispyQ]

22. Great chart!

The backwash are still with him, though.

[Buzz Clik]

23. They're convinced that they know something the rest of the country does not.

[Smith_3]

31. Sadly, this figure shows very nicely how predictable the majority of people are.

Notice how there is a small spike upward everytime a perceived "positive" thing happens? (like Saddam capture)

I thought Bush was crap from day one and my opinnion has not shifted the slightest since then...

[Smith_3]

34. What was it exactly, that he did, that even remotely set him into a positive light after 9/11 ?

What did he do to cause such support? Or was it just the peoples reflex to look to a father figure?

[SpiralHawk]

35. "I done good reading 'n stuff." - Commander AWOL

"Fair and balanced people give me credit for the good reading I was did."

- Commander AWOL

[Buzz Clik]

36. They were desperate for leadership wherever it originated.

If Bush would have stepped up earlier, Giiuliani would not have been held in such high regard.

[Buns_of_Fire]

39. Take that 35-point leap that Chucklenuts got on 9/11 and slide the whole chart downwards from there.

(I'll give him the "Iraq War" and "Saddam" spikes, even though neither would have existed without the "9/11" spike.)

Either way, you take about 35 points off of the 10/23 consesus of around 33 (or just take a ruler and slide the trendline down from the pre-9/11 point) -- well, you get where Shit-for-Brains' ratings should be, were it not for his personal Godsend of 9/11.

And that's still 15 points too high, in my opinion.

[Imagevision]

41. Bush's legacy? Rolling Stone summed it up; "The worst President in US. history"...

[Cha]

20. And, really nice to

hear of a sane republicoon because the only ones I hear from are too permeated with koolaid to say anything but, "they're all the same..yada, yada, yada." limpballesque echos.

[rAVES]

32. You really would require your head to be up your ass to be thrilled by any repub candidates

[JNelson6563]

33. You did exactly right

Whenever a self-proclaimed Republican shares with us their disappointment in Team Bush we should be sure not to shame them for their initial support of Little Boots, that will only serve to alienate them. Always be congenial and positive. This is how we win friends and allies.

Julie

[madokie]

37. that got me to smiling this rainy dreary morning,

thanks

[seabeyond]

40. went to a christmas party in midland texas. actually odessa, couple miles from

midland.

first guy when i was still sober (relatively) from a small small community abernathy. real country. i said something about how bad bush was and he agreed. bush has done a pretty bad job for the republicans. BUT what is really bothering him is the religious trying to dictate behavior to the nation and the world. (huge surprise for me). he says he talked to his deacon and told him that they cannot be telling other people how they are suppose ot behave and live.

truly, that one surprised me.

later, i was way too drunk and they want political discussion. bad move on my part. a lot of fuzzy, a lot of fucks for me (my mouth gets really bad talking about republicans cause they are simply really dirty and my language reflects that party.) not a single person would or could defend bush or even the republican party as a whole. the best they could do is what is our alternative.

a lot a lot a dissatisfaction with bushco. and this is his home town, that is so proud of him and has a huge ass sign going into the town saying home of george and laura bush.