It’s because it’s difficult to determine an abortion seeker’s motive so they’d need to be interviewed by a qualified professional before they could have the abortion. Given the cuts in government services there would probably be a substantial wait time to schedule an appointment – probably about, say, nine months or so. Hey, wait a second!

Why don't we implement a biometric authentication system? They are inexpensive and reliable. This way, republican fears about voter fraud could be addressed along with democrats' concerns about unfair voting restrictions.

What happens if you finally get the pro-choice crowd to admit that an abortion take a human life, and they simply admit that they don't care?

That's a serious accusation, do you have evidence to support it?

"The two men gave each other a hug afterwards. " I wonder why Beauman left that part out? I think this bill's detractors have a responsibility to explain exactly how this bill promotes what they call the "homosexual agenda". I work in a middle school and I see bullying all the time. I've had students come to me in tears when other children mocked or physically hurt them because they were perceived as effeminate. Most of these children are not gay; how could they be as they haven't reached puberty? I am thankful that I work in a district that takes bullying seriously and engages in both prevention and discipline of students who do not respect their peers.

If you’re too sick with the flu to go to work, you’re probably too sick to get out of bed and go to a doctor.

The VAST majority of subprime loans went to middle class families and speculators who thought the good times would last forever. They bought homes that were way above their means in the hope that prices would continue to rise and they would cash in by flipping the property. Who lent the money? There was a glut of investors looking for high returns who were unwilling or unable to invest at home. They thought their money would be safe in the USA and they were wrong. Don’t blame this one on the Democrats. They didn’t need legislation because banks willingly lent to almost anyone with a pulse by means of no-income verification instruments.

In New York and most other places there are parents who want their children to have this instruction and they want schools to provide it. For whatever reason these parents believe that their children are better off learning about condoms and safe sex. Other parents want abstinence only education. What are the schools to do? They try to be all things to everyone and end up being nothing to no one. They are caught in the middle of the culture war and muddle through the best they can. Is privatization of the schools the answer? Maybe, but that will present a host of other problems starting with Lincoln’s observation that "A house divided against itself cannot stand".

Children who reach puberty and discover they have a homosexual orientation have historically felt isolated and alone, unable to turn to anyone, including their parents, for support. This can exacerbate the effects of bullying. When a bully sees they are hurting their victim, they feel empowered and this leads to further and harsher bullying. This combination of extreme abuse and isolation can result in tragedy. Fortunately, there are now support networks for such children. Be they institutional or through better informed and supportive parents, children who have someone to help them have far fewer difficulties with bullying. This is just my opinion, based on the experiences I’ve had and the observations I’ve made. I could be wrong.

The point I tried to make when I began this thread last night is that school teachers and administrators treat all forms of bullying as unacceptable. While the LGTB community has been disproportionally affected by this problem all students deserve the highest level of protection. Bullying shouldn’t happen to any child. Period. Conservatives do themselves a disservice when they fail to support an anti-bullying program because it’s perceived to be somehow contaminated by the “gay agenda”. I’ve participated in a number of programs and none of them divide victims into categories.