Many thanks for all the positive comments. I got just what I wanted...HOPE!

Jim Richards

I agree wholeheartedly with the Big D.  As of now we are still the best country to live in and we STILL have the right and freedoms to speak our mind.  But I will caveat that with the notion that you have to constantly protect that right.  As soon as things start going in a direction where you are no longer "allowed" or you have to be afraid to speak your mind because you will be treated unfairly compared to your fellow citizens who toe the "party" line then this will no longer be a great country to live in.  Look around you and look at what passes for news these days and see if what I said still applies.  There is nothing wrong with questioning everything you are being told.  Freedom of thought goes hand in hand with freedom of speech and once you are being dissuaded from your own thoughts thats a huge red flag to question WHY.   And maybe they are right,  and maybe they are  wrong, but you should be free to question with impunity.  And I use "they" as a free pronoun to mean anyone or any group who tells you or pressures you to think in their "special" way.

As a simple example, look at the people who post on Tehachapi News and get constantly attacked just because their views differ from someone else.  It seems to come out a lot when folks post about a religious topic more-so than any other topic.  These are the people to fear, because they don't just want you to agree with them, they want to control your thoughts. Thats about as scary as it gets in my opinion.  There's a huge difference between having a rational argument, the hospital situation is a good example of that, and a non-rational argument based on some internalization of faith, which 99% of the religious blogs are a good example of,.  One you can question and argue freely using logic and reason and facts, the other you cannot reason with because reason and facts are not a factor in belief.  I will leave it to the reader to decide which applies to which.

No matter how messed up you think our country and political process is it is still the best in the world and we are lucky to be living in America. People in many country's don't get to vote,They are told where to work and how to live. If they speak out against their leaders or system of government they are jailed or killed. Thank god that i was born in America where i have the freedom to talk loads of sh-t about Bush, vote for anyone that i choose to and burn the American flag without the fear of being executed.This country might not be perfect but there is no other place i would choose to live. 

As corrupt as things are, the vote is your last refuge of civilization. Once you give it up, or the vote is made meaningless, barbarism is all you have left.

Vote.

I am a Republican with Democratic leanings. There is absolutely not one republican presidential candidate that I would vote for this year. Sadly I keep thinking of what will happen if we don't vote in a candidate with experience on a global level. Hillary is the only one that has my vote and believe me I am not happy with that conclusion. Honesty and integrity and passion don't cut it in this race. It's not right but this is the reality.

I couldn't agree more Jim. This has always driven me insane!!

Jim there should be a limit that a presidential Canada raise and spend. they spend Multi millions to get a 250.000 dollar a year job. It never has made since to me.