I may, or may not, have followed the thread about "mad bombers who would never be described as Islamists, and, may or may not be associated with fighters, militants, extremists or radicals." But liberals have really confused me when associating a pencil with "pow" and "bang", which may or may not ... . Well you understand. So would it be the same thing with a pointing finger and thumb? How about a banana? It leaves me to wonder if it is "pow" and "bang" rather than an object that may, or may not, resemble a gun to inquiring liberal minds. But if it is the sound, what then do we do with Rice Crispies? It's all very confusing.

Where is the alternative analysis from the Gang of 8. Don't snipe, put pen to paper. Look, roughly 50% of the people are net recipients of government largesse. Unless the majority of these illegals, who will receive amnesty, are in the upper 50% of income earners (what are the odds?) then they will be a net drain on the economy. It seems to me the only question is how large is the drain?

The GREATEST structural problem, which is the Regulatory Branch of government, did not make the list. It is tyrannical, by the definition of James Madison in Federalist #47, which is the accumulation of all government powers (legislative, executive, & judicial) in a small set of hands. The 2nd biggest structural problem is the social safety net, which creates a disincentive to work, a means to bribe voters, and divides us.

Perkins doesn't go far enough in my opinion. Before I will support the GOP, financially and with my time, again they must: - apologize to their supporters for growing government; - reaffirm the principles of limited government, including dismantling agencies like the EPA and the Department of Education; - stop talking about a federal government that spends 18.5% of GDP when our Founding Fathers spent 3% of GDP; - without reservation embrace the Founder's advice that only a moral people can govern themselves. When the GOP does these things then I will think about helping them once more.

The federal government has grown too big to succeed. Unfortunately if it sinks we all go down with it.

It will collapse, no hope required. The best we can hope for is that a liberty-loving Republican, somewhere, begins to make the case that a patient-centered, free-market health care system will provide higher quality at lower costs. I promise that when this thing collapses Democrats will be standing at the site of the wreckage saying "See. We tried this free market approach and it didn't work. Now we need a single payer system."

Let us not forget that 20,000 shoulder-fired missiles are missing from Syria. As each of them can bring down a commercial airliner, securing the border with Mexico should be a no brainer.

References: 1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/04/05/todays-jobs-report-is-a-disaster-but-why/ 2. http://sas-origin.onstreammedia.com/origin/gallupinc/GallupSpaces/Production/Cms/POLL/dakpc4p2ekexytdxfdsemw.gif 3. http://alineofsight.com/images/12-2-11-Scariest-Job-Chart-Ever1%20%281%29.jpg 4. http://politicalcalculations.blogspot.com/2012/03/gasoline-prices-and-unemployment-rate.html#.UV-TYhnR2LQ

Unemployment rises two years after gas price spike[4]. The last gas price spike, at least before the current one, was in 2011. Thus we are due for another round of job loss. It is shocking to me that economists are surprised by the weak job numbers. They don't seem to grasp the fact that government actions have consequences on the economy. With Obamanomics and Obamacare heaping load upon load onto the economy, the only thing we can reasonably expect is a sluggish economy.

Small business owners are the engine of economic growth, and they are pulling back[2]. If they planned to hire then they would be investing; that they are pulling back means only one thing -- they won't be hiring anytime soon. Since the end of World War 2 the nation has experienced 11 recessions[3], which is an average of one recession every six years. With the last recession being on 2007-2008 then we are due for another one before we've recovered from the last one. But wait there is more ...