Dave, I have noticed that there isn't much activity on these questions when you actually have to think a little and the answer won't fit on a bumper sticker. What does that say about our society?

Dave; Another issue on your/our "endless list"; Terrorism- Thank God for the Republicans! For all of their faults, at least they know what it means to keep us safe. This IS THE GOVERNMENT'S JOB! Clinton had many warnings and opportunities to get a handle on this, he didn't. Why? Well I don't think it is because he didn't care. I think it goes more to the liberal way of sticking their heads in the sand, thinking it isn't really going to happen, or worse..that it is America's fault that people don't like us. We have always been reactionaries anyway. We didn't get into WWII until 2500 Americans were dead and our Pacific fleet was on the bottom of Pearl Harbor. Too many politicians with their heads in the sand then too. Our Government's number one priority should be to protect our nation. Why then do the libs get all excited about wire tapping? It is a tool to be proactive in our protection. They still haven't learned. Will they ever? I doubt it. They seem to ignore history and facts.

Dave, In regards to Social Security...How much of this money is spent in other areas by our illustrious government. How much of this money is paid out to people who never put a dime into it? Bush wanted to privatize it but the public and the dems were having none of that. It wasn't even going to be mandatory. Why are the dems against it? Because that money could no longer be tapped for the other things they "borrow" from it for. People might also discover that they don't need the federal government to manage their finances. Where would that leave the dems? Their whole reason for existence is because they have convinced enough people that they need the government to 'take care of them'. HOOEY! We like to think we are free. Once we were, but we have regulated and legislated ourselves right back to where we were when we came here before we separated ourselves from England and declared our independence. In most places you have to get a d*mn permit just to put a porch on your house!

Dave, Do you really wonder about this? Almost all of it goes to the left. As Rusty stated it began with Jimmy Carter, but it has gotten worse ever since. You can blame him as the genesis but we have had many years to over come and change the policies he began. To those who say we can't drill our way out of this mess...Hooey! There is enough oil located under Colorado, Wyoming, Utah to last us 200 years. That is just one example. The environmentalists keep us from it. Yes much of this lies under our beautiful state parks and other federally protected lands, but I believe that the technology exists to limit the footprint. I am also sure that in the next 200 years we can develop other energy sources that could potentially reduce or eliminate oil, but it isn't going to happen in our lifetime. WE NEED OIL...PERIOD. It is ridiculous not to use our own and be held hostage by other nations in the world. I am not overly concerned about the spotted owl.

Hey Dave, another thing that can be added is driving habits, speed limits and car picks. I have noticed that some drivers have slowed down to save fuel and some don't have a clue this really works. If you are coming in town, Washington, you are getting ready to get a barrage of traffic and lights. Every morning I get passed, while driving slower than most drivers, then only to catch up with them a few lights later doing 35 mph. If you are driving a Suburban or F 250 all you are doing is using fuel you could have saved by slowing down a little. I drive a Suburban, very old now, but I can get 23 mpg by slowing down, no jack rabbit starts and coasting to slow down. The coasting part kills me. Some people stay on the gas pedal right till they "have" to stop. Almost looks like they are going to run the stoplight. People that use the drive thrus...wasting fuel. I see many time going into get food a car that is still sitting at the store long after I got my order. This is the problem.

Most of this can be blamed on one man; Jimmy Carter. He allowed legislation against drilling in the USA for oil due to environmental concerns, not consumer future needs. Now we import most of our oil from Canada, yes, Canada. They are drilling in the Anwar area and selling it back to us. This is first, the second was he did away with nuclear power. Environmentalist used ploys that we were in danger from this. Wrong, it was the cleanest and cheapest way of making electricity. We buy that from the Canadians too. Why, because the have nuclear power and oil that we did away with the the name of environmentalist reasons. They knew we were going to need this additional capacity years ago and made it a political mess to even bring up. Did they think the population was going to get smaller? We the people now need to vote for survival. If we don't, we will have higher taxes and higher gas, yes, around $7 per gallon. I am a democrat that will vote for McCain now since he figured it out.

Well said Dave; don't forget about the outrageously high food prices as well!