Nice. Easy on the eyes.

….  Elected officials are supposed to represent every one of their constituents unless my 8th grade Civics class had it wrong.

Ah yes, the disconnect between theory and practice. The class was right; sadly most of the people that remember this are voting not getting elected to office. (Or getting someone elected that remembers it  ::))

Wow.

I'm with Phid on this.

I agree with scout about the decolonialization but since we had a vastly different relationship with the frontier than Canada did I'd say we'd have been out sooner.Our history up to and including the first rumblings of revolution was based on the old itchy foot problem and more formally a westering tradition. We had a tendancy to solve our problems by moving west… first the folks looking for riches and freedoms in the new world, after we got here the same applied. Anyone that had a problem with what was going on moved west.The difference between US and Canada was that the icon of law and civilization went west with the frontier (RCMP) while here the law was always trying to catch up to the frontier.

……. as if it was only Jews who suffered under the Nazi's.  ….

Yes, by most accounts I've seen you can, after counting all the other targets, just about double the total number.

… that is a lot of smokes and beer…..I can imagine that some people do it, but I just don't know how.  ….

I assure you, having witnessed it that these folks found many ways to poop away their $. If one doesn't watch it just evaporates; this couple was just an over-the-top example.

….Bread and circuses indeed. >:(  Obama is a typical do as I say, not as I do post-modern liberal in the Al Gore model.

Yup. Keep us thinking about what they want us to think: “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain….”

The point Obama is trying to make here is sort of a corollary to Ricardo's Iron Law of Wages; besides workers never earning more than just above survival mode due to increasing population that will keep said wages low, consider this. Many workers, knowing the won't amass much in the way of savings after feeding, clothing, and housing needs are met will often seek immediate gratification by purchases or life style choices that have short term returns Rather than adjusting goals for the long term. Example follows…A friend of mine bought a nice and very slightly used ski boat many years ago. He worked and also had a couple of side jobs which allowed his wife to stay home and raise the little one. While not a tea-totaler he didn't smoke and they had a relatively calm home life will paying off their home. He paid case to the tune of several thousand dollars for the boat and they enjoyed it hugely. Should have been the happy ending, right? Read on…Not too long after he was over at one of his rentals (which I managed for rent) and looked rather down in the mouth. The problem? A long time friend had taken him to task over the boat; the friend was pi$$ed of that he and his wife couldn't buy such a fine boat and berated my friend because he couldn't understand how he (the friend) and his wife couldn't afford something similar… after all the both worked at well paid jobs, lived in a house that one of their parents owned (little or no rent, eh?), and had no kids to worry about. My friend was bummed out and a bit put out as well. The rest of the story…The next time I saw my friend he was much happier; he had explained to his buddy just why they couldn't buy the boat and he could. They both smoked… an expensive name brand, something on the order of 2 packs a day for her and 2 1/2 to 3 for him. The (king of) beer was consumed at the rate of 1 to 1 1/2 cases per night and perhaps double that on weekends. The lady dressed very well and had hair and nails done often… fast food or dinners out regularly. Reno trips several times per year with all the trimmings. New cars and pick-ups regularly. After figuring the cost of the asmokes and adding in just 1/2 the beer my friend showed them in just over a year they would have banked enough to buy a similar boat… brand new.Basically stated the worker will never have much more than is needed for survival if the waste what they do have that is above that level. Comes down to choices… all Obama is asking thatwe think about that.Reno and Las Vegas are fine in moderation… if everyone won though, the towns would dry up and blow away. Far too many folks have no moderation impluse.  ;)This is one of very few things I think Obama has right… but he's really right on this. I also agree that the Congress needs to get a moderation impulse transpant.  😮