BTW, Snark, name calling is not conducive to an intelligent conversation! You don't get anywhere by calling people with whom you disagree liars and idiots!

It appears, Snark, that you completely disagree with Pat Buchanan's philosophy, which is cool. However, my comment is in synch with Pat, who believes we should be a Republic not an Empire. Read his book from a few years ago, "Day of Reckoning" in which he talks about our imperial overreach and how the Neocons (who are NOT conservatives in the traditional sense) took over under GWB.

Not willing to take your bait, Snark. However, did I say that Hannity was as shrill as Sharpton? NO! I just said he was 'fiercely partisan.' Listened to a little of his show on the car radio this pm. It's nothing but bashing Obama day after day, which is fine. However he, like Rush, supported GWB, no conservative by any standard, until the bitter end just because he was a Repub.

Excellent point Hooverville. As Pat Buchanan has said on many occasions - he didn't leave the party, the party left him. Anti-interventionists who want to put America first are no longer welcome in the GOP. See Pat's column on Tuesday where he talks about how the views of war lover Bill Kristol & the neocons have taken over.

Sorry for the typo. The 3rd sentance should have read: if they HAVE too much other income? BTW means- testing of SS would turn it into just another welfare program like food stamps.

There is a major problem with means-testing of SS. First, it is a mandatory program, so all must contribute. Is the gov't, which required the tax in the first place, then going to tell retirees they cannot receive it if they too much other income? How about looking at millions of citizens savings/investments to see if they are within the limits? The SS Admin would have to hire an army of bureaucrats to administer this monstrousity. Do we really want to give Big Brother another huge power?

Unfortunately, the opposite may be true. If Romney doesn't win, there may never be another Repub Pres. Look at the demographic trends, as pointed out by Pat Buchanan in his great book "Death of a Superpower" (for which MSNBC fired him!). As the MSM recently reported, non-white births now outnumber those of whites. Also, only 50% of Americans now pay taxes (for which the R's share as much blame as the D's). Indeed, the Repubs, as we know them, are a dying party.

MSNBC's whole pm lineup of Matthews, Sharpton (you can't be serious!), Schultz, Maddow, & O'Donnell is sick-making. This joke of a network lost what little credibility it had when it fired the great Pat Buchanan for telling the truth. At least Olberman (before his meltdown) was sometimes watchable because he was capable of humor. This bunch is not even up to Keith's low standards. On the other side of the coin, I also find Hannity unwatchable. He is just as fiercely partisan on the right (and also devoid of humor) as the lefty's of MSNBC.

The Repubs, controlled by the neocons, are committed to increased defense spending and more wars of empire. Does anyone think that a President Romney will be able to resist the Israeli lobby's demands for war against Iran? Any new wars will increase our debt dramatically as the Repubs, under GWB, have shown that they don't believe we have to pay for them. Although our out of control entitlements must be addressed, the most serious thing that should be done is to end the empire and bring most of the troops home, as Ron Paul wants to do. Romney, to me, looks like another GWB and will be just as ineffective.

Wishful thinking, Kevin 348. The party in power usually loses in the off-year election, which happened big time in 2010. More Dems will come to the polls this year, so it will be a lot closer. If the Repubs continue to hold the House, look for their majority to be smaller. I do hope that the Dems lose the Senate so that the Repubs control both houses & we may finally have a budget. However, if Romney wins, war with Iran becomes much more likely (unless it happens before the election). The best hope to keep the US out of another major war is to re-elect Obama, much as I despise his domestic policies.