Wow. Rick wins a few elections and the Romney-ites suddenly turn their venom on him. Predictable. I'll vote for whoever the nominee ends up being in November. But in June (CA primary), I will NOT vote for Romney.

As we've adopted 3 children this is an area I know something about. Domestic adoption is ridiculously expensive. Just completing a homestudy is $5K. Add $3K agency fees on top of that. Birth mother "expenses" can easily amount to 5 figures, after all, biomom really needs a moped and a Prada bag. And she still can (and often does) change her mind. International adoption isn't much better. You'll get a baby, at the cost of bribing foreign governments. It's not called that, but the so-called adoption fees are bribes by another name; they line some official's pocket. And the baby you get home was often abused and neglected prior. In the end, either process very much resembles buying a baby. Is it worth it though? Absolutely!

I suspect God is giving up on us at the same rate we're giving up on Him.

The result of attending public high school is posts like that one.

In 2011 America is about to be drawn into a European financial catastrophe and people in the street are blaming the evil corporate leaders for their loss of prosperity.

Sorry, but the public schoolteachers aren't any better. That's why we homeschool, and our daughters are completing their college degrees at home as well through Long Island State.

The only real question remaining is whether Netanyahu will green-light the use of nuclear missles. Iran's reactors are buried. It will take a Hiroshima-sized (5-15Kt) to destroy them.

You're wrong. Total global warfare (or a large regional conflict) can still occur. It just won't take 5 years to be over. It will take 30 minutes.

Rachel, you asked what changed between 2008 and 2012? In 2008 we had a choice between 2 liberals. Compared to McCain, Romney is conservative. Hence, he got the "conservative" label and endorsements. In 2012 we have a true choice between liberals and conservatives. Compared to Newt, Michelle, or Rick, Mitt Romney is a liberal elitist. Imitation crab tastes OK, until you've had the real thing. Romney only tasted good when there were no real conservatives running.

Mike, your logic is perfect, except that you're missing the actions of the largest player on the monetary market: the US Government. Deflation is death for debtors. Your income goes down; the prices of everything you buy go down; your debt is unchanged. For a family, that's called bankruptcy. For a nation, it's called Greece. The largest debtor in America is the Federal Government, and they are not at the mercy of deflation. As Ben Bernake discussed deflation in 2002: "The U.S. government has a technology, called a printing press." As the supply of credit tightens, "helicopter Ben" just keeps printing more dollars to prop up prices and wages. Nothing personal Mike, but I side with the guy who controls the printing press.