CLOSED!!Political Discussion - A Place to &quot;duke it out&quot; (7400+)

Top 1014. Aug 9, 2003 11:53 AM

» Fred2000 - Re: Re: Re: Quagmire commeth

In response to message posted by javelin:

Money earned from the opium and heroin trade in Afghanistan is what is allowing pro-US warlords in the country to operate, a high-profile Washington lawyer and expert in international financial crime said today. "The revenue of poppies is essential for the warlords supporting the United States," Jack Blum told a House panel focusing on international corruption.

The country's largest domestic product, Blum explained, was heroin, and without the profit from the drug trade any government would be hard-pressed to provide for its people and support the war on terrorism. "It's a terrible, terrible dilemma, because it is the only source of revenue the state has," he said, adding the problem was being debated by governments trying to stop the drug trafficking.

"It's possibly one of the most complicated, atrocious problems any one could understand," said Blum. Asked about chasing drug traffickers into neighbouring countries such as Pakistan in an effort to stem the flow, Blum said he had little hope such cross-border hunts would help. "The problem of corruption surrounding drugs on that route is absolutely astonishing, and I have no faith that any agreement to chase or not to chase would make any difference."

Afghanistan is thought to be responsible for 75 per cent of the world's opium and 80 per cent of the heroin traded on the streets of Europe.

The United States in February waived narcotics sanctions against Afghanistan despite the country's "demonstrable failure" to curb poppy cultivation in a move aimed at supporting the interim government in Kabul.

The waiver was part of Washington's effort to reward and support the Afghan interim government led by Hamid Karzai that took power after the Taliban were ousted in the US-led war on terrorism.

-- posted by Fred2000

Top 1015. Aug 9, 2003 7:14 PM

» Q_out - Multi-page Ballot

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This ballot is going to read like a phone book.
http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/recall_ca...

<img src="/files/mysites/qout/bhoestarts.gif" width=53 height=34 align="left">
Q_out

-- posted by Q_out

Top 1016. Aug 9, 2003 8:04 PM

» javelin - Re: Multi-page Ballot

In response to message posted by Q_out:

This ballot is going to read like a phone book.

It reads more like a comic book....

-- posted by javelin

Top 1017. Aug 9, 2003 9:05 PM

» Q_out - Re: Multi-page Ballot

In response to message posted by Q_out:

Candidates Qualified Thus Far:

R John W. Beard
R Ed Beyer
R Cheryl Bly-Chester
D Audie E. Bock
I Joel Britton
D Art Brown
D Cruz M. Bustamante
G Peter Miguel Camejo
R William S. Chambers
D Larry Flynt
I Leo Gallagher
D Gerold Lee Gorman
D Joe Guzzardi
R Jim Hoffmann
D Edward Thomas Kennedy
D David E. Kessinger
D Eric Korevaar
D Frank A. Macaluso, Jr.
D Robert C. Mannheim
D Paul Mariano
I Mike P. McCarthy
R Tom McClintock
R Carl A. Mehr
D John "Jack" Mortensen
I Leonard J. Padilla
R Heather Peters
D Charles Chuck Pineda, Jr.
I Jeff Rainforth
R Daniel W. Richards
R Kevin Richter
D David Laughing Horse Robinson
L Ned Fenton Roscoe
D Darrin H. Scheidle
I B. E. Smith
I Brian Tracy
R Paul W. Vann
D Willaim B. Vaughn
R Chuck Walker
P C. T. Weber
D Michael J. Wozniak
R Jon William Zellhoefer

<img src="/files/mysites/qout/bhoestarts.gif" width=53 height=34 align="left">
Q_out

-- posted by Q_out

Top 1018. Aug 10, 2003 6:38 AM

» Kirk - Schwarzenegger No Barbarian at Finances

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Schwarzenegger No Barbarian at Finances

Sat Aug 9,11:11 PM ET

By Gina Keating and Arthur Spiegelman

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Arnold Schwarzenegger (news), a self-described Austrian farm boy who found wealth and fame in America, has at least tens of millions of dollars in stocks, bonds and other investments, according to a financial disclosure statement filed Saturday.

The statement, a requirement for entering the race for California governor, gave a broad picture of the investments of one of Hollywood's highest paid entertainers.

Los Angeles election officials released his statement along with those of several other high profile candidates including Arianna Huffington, Bill Simon and porn publisher Larry Flynt. These three also cited investments or holdings in the millions.

The forms do not require exact numbers.

Schwarzenegger's investments include such stocks as Starbucks, PepsiCo, Coca Cola, Roto Rooter, Washington Post Co., Abbott Laboratories, Clorox Co., Target and Wal Mart Stores Inc. as well as millions of dollars in municipal bonds and real estate investments in Ohio and California.

The star of movies like "Conan the Barbarian" and the "Terminator" series cited 20 holdings worth over a million dollars and about 40 investments valued between $100,000 and $1 million dollars.

His wife Maria Shriver, a member of the Kennedy family, reported in the documents that she had trust funds worth millions of dollars.

Schwarzenegger also reported receiving gifts from the likes of designer Giorgio Armani and Tommy Hilfiger and billionaire Marvin Davis who gave the actor $45 worth of popcorn and an $85 gingerbread carousel for Christmas.

Tupperware gave him a Tupperware humidor worth $100 while his agents gave him a $400 leather and silver belt and investment guru Warren Buffett (news - web sites) gave him a $75 coffee table book. Schwarzenegger also received a $1,000 talking terminator skull from the producer of the latest Terminator film.

In his campaign appearances so far, Schwarzenegger has insisted he is so rich that he cannot be bought and will not be beholden to special interest groups.

The financial statements are requirements for running in the Oct. 7 recall election which will decide if Gov. Davis stays in office and, if not, who replaces him.

-- posted by Kirk

http://www.draftwesleyclark.com/on_the_i...

Top 1019. Aug 10, 2003 7:43 AM

» serena31 - Wesley Clark for President

Something to get excited about!

-- posted by serena31

Top 1020. Aug 10, 2003 12:49 PM

» Q_out - Re: Multi-page Ballot

In response to message posted by Q_out:

Over 50 qualified so far:

AI Diane Beall Templin

D Audie E. Bock
D Art Brown
D Cruz M. Bustamante
D Bob Lynn Edwards
D Larry Flynt
D Diana Foss
D Gerold Lee Gorman
D Joe Guzzardi
D Edward Thomas Kennedy
D David E. Kessinger
D Eric Korevaar
D Frank A. Macaluso, Jr.
D Robert C. Mannheim
D Paul Mariano
D John "Jack" Mortensen
D Charles Chuck Pineda, Jr.
D Bill Prady
D David Laughing Horse Robinson
D Darrin H. Scheidle
D Willaim B. Vaughn
D Lingel H. Winters
D Michael J. Wozniak

Grn Peter Miguel Camejo

Lib Ned Fenton Roscoe

NL Darin Price

PF C. T. Weber

R John W. Beard
R Ed Beyer
R Cheryl Bly-Chester
R William S. Chambers
R Robert A. Dole
R Gene Forte
R Jim Hoffmann
R S. Issa
R Tom McClintock
R Carl A. Mehr
R Heather Peters
R Daniel W. Richards
R Kevin Richter
R Arnold Schwarzenegger
R Randall D. Sprague
R Peter V. Ueberroth
R Paul W. Vann
R Chuck Walker

Ind Brooke Adams
Ind Badi Badiozamani
Ind Joel Britton
Ind Leo Gallagher
Ind Mike P. McCarthy
Ind Leonard J. Padilla
Ind Jeff Rainforth
Ind B. E. Smith
Ind Brian Tracy

<img src="/files/mysites/qout/bhoestarts.gif" width=53 height=34 align="left">
Q_out

-- posted by Q_out

Top 1021. Aug 11, 2003 1:16 PM

» Kirk - Re: Wesley Clark for President

In response to message posted by serena31:

From: Kirk Monday, Aug 11, 2003 1:23 PM

Actually, I'd call Arnold a "Libertarian" by his views. He seems much like me; fiscally conservative and socially liberal. Only idiots attack big business that pays salaries that governments can tax, but the government is getting filled with idiots and big business is leaving for friendly contries that value jobs.
We don't want another Simon who was a right wing lackey that Davis actually helped get the nomination because Davis knew that Riordan would beat him in a fair election but Californians such as myself were repulsed by someone like Simon.

I actually think the electorate sends very clear messages now and then when we put folks like Arnold and Jessie into major elected offices.

Arnold has run many business from scratch to profitability so he has a clue how CA is making it impossible to start a new business here. One CEO on CNBC the other day said disability insurance is "an industry in California" with all the lawyers and Dr's extending the claims and making it too expensive for most so they ship the jobs to India and China. Davis is in the pockets of the trial lawyers association and the teacher's unions and.... and ....

I'm voting for Arnold... and I think Riordan backed Arnold as well.

To:Kirk who wrote (19096)
From: Dipy Monday, Aug 11, 2003 2:47 PM
View Replies (2) | Respond to of 19107

Most legal immigrants that work for a living and pay taxes feel this way.

Most illegal immigrants come here because there are businessmen willing to hire them at slave-wages. They are not part of a invading army or whatever.

Kick these businessmen in the butts and force them to hire regular American folks and legal immigrants -- at prevailing wages. Of course, you cannot do that! Can you? No sirrreee, it is a lot easier to kick the poor guy who's getting 2 bucks an hour; it is a lot harder to kick his employer who can donate big bucks to your election campaigns...

To:Dipy
From: Kirk Monday, Aug 11, 2003 3:29 PM
View Replies (2) | Respond to of 19107

You really don't know what you are talking about but you sure spout the party line well.

MOST of the illegals here work for individuals under the table. They are the nannies for most off the hollywerid stars and folks telling us to spend more tax dollars to help the poor. They are the gardeners who work for the one who owns the truck and has a license. Do you cut your own lawn? If not then would you want to be thrown in jail because your gardener has a fake ID? Get real.

NOBODY in the US holds a gun to these folks heads to make them come here and work under the table. NOBODY! If you make the cost of "doing business here" more expensive for them (i.e. no education for their kids and no free health care) then they would have to charge more AND the stupid liberals like you would have to pay them a fair wage and demand withholding taxes on the gardening, house cleaning and other work.

I have a friend who has a tree cutting business. He is legal and pays his workers a fair wage ($17 / hr I think) plus something like 30% extra for disability insurance due to all the fraud. He can't hardly compete with all the illegals who set up on their own as independents then hire undocumented folks off the street at $10 an hour.

Hey Folks... If someone undocumented cuts your trees Dipy wants you to pay a fine and go to jail! Get real.

Kirk

-- posted by Kirk

Top 1022. Aug 11, 2003 1:24 PM

» La_la - Re: Wesley Clark for President

In response to message posted by serena31:

Affirmative Action and Multiculturalism are things to get excited about?

-- posted by La_la