Carlene

I'm the soup queen. I have some great recipes. PM me if you'd like to have copies (in Word format). I make baked potato soup, chicken tortilla soup, chicken/seafood gumbo, broccoli cheese soup and homemade cream of chicken soup.

This is what YOUR Bible says...the King James Version, in Matthew: The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 19:6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 19:7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 19:8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 19:9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. I'd still like for you to answer my question....Should it be illegal for a man to divorce his wife and remarry?

That's a very sweet story, and I'm sure it's true. It doesn't make Bush an especially "real" or caring person, however. How do you feel about Willie Nelson? Want to hear a warm fuzzy (true) Willie story? My husband had Cancer. He had only a matter of months to live. He was a huge Willie fan. Willie was coming to a small town fairly close to us (actually the culmination of a long effort on his part to raise funds and rebuild the courthouse in this little TX town that had burned). The concert was sold out. My daughter called everyone she could think of.....radio stations, TV stations, etc. Finally she found a link on a web site. It said "e-mail Willie on the road". She did. She poured out her heart and she got an answer, dictated by Willie to his daughter (also named Carlene, by the way). It said "My dad said to bring your dad to Hillsboro. Find a security guard named Steve and give him this e-mail. After the show he will take you backstage." We got the VIP, red carpet treatment. Willie came out after the show and there must have been two dozen people backstage. Some of them were from TV and radio stations, newspapers and magazines. He made them all cool their heels while he visited with this man in a wheelchair who had always wanted to see him in person. He acted like he had all night and there was nothing in the world he would rather be doing. He wanted to give Jim a tour of his bus, but he was just too ill. That was in April and he died the following June. I realize that Willie Nelson's responsibilities pale in comparison to the president's, but my point is that even an old dope smokin' hippie like Willie has a heart for sick folks.

You still haven't answered my question... I'm not asking if you think everyone should have the same religious beliefs. I'm asking if you think everyone's religious beliefs should carry equal weight, by law. Should my church (beliefs) get to declare divorce and remarriage illegal just because they believe it is sinful (and because the New Testament says it is a sin)? It's a "yes" or "no" question. Very simple.

So do you think it's okay for gay people to live together, in a sexual relationship, as a committed couple? (Committed emotionally and physically to one another, to be more specific.)

Yep...I'm for a lame duck congress. Since we can't trust any of them guys, the next best thing is to let them babysit each other.

Oh, yeah....Fox News. They wouldn't know "fair and balanced" if it came up behind them and bit them on the backside.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't understand this statement AT ALL. Are you saying that we, the people of the United States, and/or our elected officials have no control over what is written in the Constitution or the First Amendment? Is it your belief that God inspired, or controlled the writing of the Declaration of Independence? Wouldn't that make the Constitution as infallible as the Bible?

Carol...I completely understand your point of view and I would take up arms and fight anyone who tried to force homosexuality on you. What I don't understand is why you feel that your beliefs should be translated into law. Not everyone's beliefs, obviously....just yours - and the people who agree with you. The single largest Christian denomination in the USA believes that divorce and remarriage is a sin. The New Testament says it's a sin, as well. Should we make it illegal? Why not? Jews believe that it is a sin to eat pork. Shall we outlaw bacon and ham? They live in America, too. And they hold their beliefs to be as true as you do. Do you see my point? Either ALL religious views should carry the force of law, or NONE should. I vote none.

No one put words in your mouth. I said that according to your logic, gay people would be denied the pleasure of an intimate relationship. Then I made the statement that homosexuality is not contagious. I did not attribute either, or any, statement to you. Nor did I accuse you of anything.

You left out a couple of things... Fact...In 2003 Rick Perry pushed through a 6% cut in the Medicaid budget. How is that a "good" thing for poor children, elderly and disabled? Fact...The 2003 state legislature enacted the governor's budget to eliminate CHIP coverage for prostheses, physical therapy and private duty nursing; count income for CHIP more strictly; impose a 90 day waiting period for newly-eligible CHIP patients; reduce Medicaid home health coverage for the aged and disabled; end the Medicaid medically needy spend down for families and children; reduce the pregnant women’s Medicaid income level enough to drop 8,300 women monthly; and terminate Medicaid coverage of eyeglasses, hearing aids, chiropractic services, podiatry and some mental health care for adults. Another "good" thing? Tell that to poor children who have to share eyeglasses with their classmates. Fact...All this caused over 100,000 children to lose health coverage. Not because their parents earned more, but because the state yanked the health care rug out from under them. Fact...In 2004 the Medicaid agency proposed additional cuts, including limits of $5,000 for liquid assets and $15,000 for a car's value (with 2nd cars worth up to about $4600 allowed) for CHIP. If people were doing so well and drooping off chips voluntarily, why were more cuts needed? PS...my sourse is not professionally aligned with the Democratic party. As I said, he is an activist for AIDS/HIV victims and worked for the Feds in administering Medicaid programs. He is far less biased than Peggy Venable.

It's still a LOT easier to choose something you are naturally inclined toward over something that disgusts you. Your logic would deny gay people the pleasure of an intimate relationship, since it is virtually impossible for them to sexually desire a member of the opposite sex. Their natural, God-given desire to physically love a person of their own gender is not something to be "overcome". It's not dirty. It's their gift, just as hetrosexuality is yours (and mine). And they aren't harming straight people. That's what I don't understand. Homosexuality isn't contagious. Why do people act like it's an epidemic that needs to be contained, or eliminated.

What a great post!!! I so agree with you, and not just because you are a fellow Democrat. I think both parties have splintered and no longer represent "old time" Republican OR Democratic ideals. I think there is untold graft, greed, corruption and hypocrisy going on in DC every single day - by members of both parties. So many of them line their own pockets, and those of their big contributors, at our expense. I never vote for an incumbent unless he/she has shown some real evidence of a job well done...I don't care what platform they are running on. You're right about Texans, too. When I was in college, my Texas Government instructor asked us why Texans only allow their legislature to meet every two years. His answer was that we don't like government in the first place; we are suspicious of politicians in general, and we just plain resent being told what to do. I have many Republican friends who are fine people. None of them embrace the entire Republican platform, any more than I am in favor of everything officially sanctioned by the Democratic political machine. If you are a free-thinking person, I just don't think it's possible. I am in favor of same sex marriage and opposed to abortion on demand. I am delighted that welfare, as we once knew it, no longer exists. I am opposed to elimination of the estate tax, but in favor of raising the exclusion to 3 million dollars. I am opposed to the privatization of Social Security and I am in favor of stem cell research, as long as embryos are not produced for the purpose of being sacrificed. I am against the continued occupation of Iraq by US military forces. We tried. It isn't working. Bring them home. I am in favor of term limits, capital punishment, and no fault divorce. I am opposed to state income tax, casino gambling (in my state....I love going to Vegas), and common law marriage. I support an increase in the minimum wage and enforcement of existing laws regarding illegal aliens. Putting up an actual fence on the border, however, is just crazy - and outrageously expensive. I am totally against the whole "press one for English" thing. I'm sorry, but I live in the USA, an English speaking country since the days of colonization. I have nothing against immigrants. My family immigrated here, too. We adapted, we conformed, and we adopted the customs (and language) of America. In other words, we became Americans....we didn't expect America to become us. GOD BLESS AMERICA....:usa2:

Of course I realize that Clinton ordered air strikes and economic sanctions against Iraq. I also recall that Republicans rose up in arms at Clinton's directive, calling it a smoke screen to divert attention from Monicagate and protesting Clinton's right to act. He was called a "mad man" and accused of trying to "wag the dog". But be that as it may... Comparing Clinton's limited role in the Iraqi mess to Bush's is apples to oranges. Would Bill Clinton have sent tens of thousands of troops into Iraq and kept them there for years? Who knows. The point is....he didn't. Bill Clinton is responsible for a lot of things, including not keeping his pants zipped, but he isn't responsible for a single drop of blood spilled in Iraq. Your relatives serving in Iraq are to be commended for their service to their country. My youngest son has been there, too - twice. I still maintain that this war is unwinnable and the US needs to rethink it's position. I am not the only one, either. Oct. 24, 2006, 3:36AM Republicans rejecting Iraq policy With the election just 2 weeks away, party pressure has Bush altering plans By TOM RAUM Associated Press WASHINGTION - Republicans worried about losing Congress are challenging President Bush on Iraq, eroding his base of support for the unpopular war just two weeks before midterm elections. Increasing calls from restive Republicans for new ideas to extricate the U.S. come as the White House itself seems to struggle for a better course, or at least a better way to describe the current course. Republican Sen. John Warner of Virginia, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, seemed to open the floodgates to GOP criticism this month when he warned after a trip to Iraq that the war was "drifting sideways" and a course correction might soon be warranted. Other Republicans who have recently criticized the United States' course in Iraq include Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, of Texas; Sen. George Allen, of Virginia; Sen. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina; and Sen. Conrad Burns, of Montana. Edited because I forgot to answer your question about Hitler... I don't think TOM was comparing George Bush to Hitler. If anything, I think he was saying that both were/are guilty of arrogance.

I understand that you choose not to have sex with another female, but that's an easy choice when it isn't something you'd LIKE to do in the first place. That's like saying you chose to turn off the garbage disposal before you stuck your hand in it.

I'm sorry....I thought you meant the assignment of sexual persuasion. I did read Betsy's post, but there were posts between hers and your response. And I'm easily confused this time of night.

We absolutely do not, Leatha. At least I don't believe we do. Common sense tells me that no one would CHOOSE to be a member of a persecuted minority. Edited to add... Think about this....if you are hetrosexual, did you choose to be so? Or were you born that way? Why is it people think gay individuals have a choice, but straight people don't?

My husband, all his friends, my 3 (grown) sons and their friends complain every time one of these stories plays on the evening news that none of their teachers ever tried to seduce them. I think this must happen very, very infrequently.

The Constitution of the United States, Art. III, defines treason against the United States as levying war against it, or adhering to her enemies, giving them aid or comfort. This offense is punishable by death. TOM is lots of things, but he is not guilty of treason. I am also willing to predict that Bush will leave the mess in Iraq for his successor to clean up, and I see no way that endangers any American soldier serving in the Middle East or anywhere else. The election in Iraq proved nothing. In fact, there has been more bloodshed since the election than before. The people did not vote Saddam Hussein out of power. He wasn't on the ballot, if you recall. The Iraqi people did not want to be "liberated" by us to begin with, and they still don't want us there, as terrible as Saddam Hussein was. According to an opinion poll carried out for the British Ministry of Defense by Iraqi university researchers and leaked to the British press, 82 per cent of Iraqis are strongly opposed to the presence of US and other coalition troops and less than one per cent believe that the coalition troops are responsible for any improvement in security. Who gave the USA the right to decide who should rule within the borders of their own country and who should not? What makes our weapons of mass destruction "good" and our enemies' "bad"? The rest of the world deplores our arrogance. We are the biggest bully in the schoolyard. George Bush deserves exactly what posterity will reward him with: the title of the worst president in US history.

Some guy that agrees with you has created a web site. http://www.bushisantichrist.com/ He's not from Texas, though. In fact, he says most of us are going to hell. It pains me to say it, since this man obviously dislikes Bush even more than your average, intelligent American, but I think he's about 2 french fries shy of a Happy Meal.

Wow! I read both articles. I love this... In fact, roughly one in ten of those who called Bush a success was being facetious, rating him only as the best president since Bill Clinton -- a category in which Bush is the only contestant. :rockon:

Me, too Betsy....only I'm not very "silent". Definitely not silent. Not even quiet. But still a Christian.

Jodie...I'm really confused as to why you quoted my previous post. I am absolutely in favor of legalizing same sex marriages and I think you agree. Is that not correct?

Shame on you, Mouse, for chastising ME for providing documentation that is "biased toward (my) viewpoint". No organization is more biased than Americans for Prosperity. Here is the bio of their TX State Director, straight from their web site. About AFP - Peggy Venable Peggy M. Venable State Director - AFP Texas Peggy M. Venable is director of the Texas office of Americans for Prosperity. She has worked in public policy and in the political arena for 30 years, with more than 13 years experience in Washington, D.C., and 10 years in Texas as state director of Citizens for a Sound Economy. Peggy is well known across Texas, having been widely published in newspapers and heard regularly on talk radio across the state. She travels the state extensively, giving numerous speeches to civic, business and citizen groups. Before returning to her native Texas more than a decade ago, Peggy served in numerous senior-level positions in the federal government, including the Department of Interior, the Interstate Commerce Commission, the Department of Education, and the Government Printing Office. She has also worked on several presidential campaigns, including those of Gerald R. Ford and Ronald Reagan. She was executive director of the 1984 Republican National Convention. Peggy is active in numerous home state groups, having served as a board member of the Texas Center for Educational Research as well as the Austin CEO Foundation. She is on the editorial board of the Lone Star Report and is an advisor to the Texans for Texas organization. She is an immediate past president of the Texas Women's Alliance and the Southwest Texas State University Foundation. She is also a member of the Texas Education Reform Caucus. Peggy is listed in Who’s Who Among Women. Peggy received her undergraduate degree in journalism and political science from Texas State University, and has completed some course work toward a master’s degree in international business at Baylor University. She is the mother of a 16 year-old daughter.