" I always thought it was wrong that young men could be drafted and made to go fight in a war but could not vote or drink. I'm all for saying kids can't drink until they are 21 -- but then they shouldn't be drafted until that age either. They are either adults, or they aren't adults, with ALL the responsibilities AND privileges. (Better yet, there should never be a draft unless there is a literal invasion of our own shores and we all are fighting on our soil). "

" Chris, the proof is in the dismal state of our health care and stories like he one below from froggylady and countless others who know the horrors of the dysfunctional US "Health Care" System. I'll be honest Chris, I'm not gonna spend the effort to debunk your figures because in the end, they don't mean SQUAT. So what if I did find that some people choose to go to the US for operations? What does that change about our dysfunctional system? The proof you seek is in the unaffordable health care, the outrageous premiums and co-pays, the deaths from untested and rushed-to-the-market "new" drugs, the stories of people who have been in the system and who have been denied ANY "health care" at all! I mean, I think SINCERELY that one of the main problems with people like you is that you're the same kind of people who sit there behind a desk with a red pen and just simply, EMOTIONLESSLY write "Payment Denied" across someone's last hope for survival. No emotion, no empathy, no pity or sense of what's morally right or ETHICALLY correct--just flat figures and BLACK INK--and that's the difference between you and me--and one that I'm COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE WITH! You can disparage being "emotional" all you want, but in the end, your "argument" and all your cold facts are as unconvincing to me as my "emotions" presumably are to you. And I can live with that! Also, I didn't say that anything from Conservatives "didn't count"--I said that what passes for "facts" in Conservative circles is a whole lot different than what passes from "fact" in the REAL world--and furthermore, it's been PROVEN that Conservatives LIE! SO--what's your point, really? BTW--I should remind everyone here that YOU quote Coulter! How can I take your "facts" as "truth"?! Waste time researching them? Sorry--unlike you, I do not look at cold facts as the only determinative factors to an argument--an argument that seriously impacts the rest of Humanity which is made WITHOUT emotion is, to me, suspect and ONE OF THE REASONS WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY! Your camp is so good at "emotionless" arguments that you've put us at 38th in life expectancy in the world--FUNNY; I didn't see YOU attempt to refute those figures either, but I guess that type of "fact' doesn't concern cold hearts like you? "

" Judas priest on a pony, this one is going to require a scorecard to keep track. Brew gets nothing for his useless nonsense. DD gets 10 points for his excellent commentary regarding "do-nothing" Hillary. Chris gets 5 points for his piece about Karl and Brew reasoning with "emotion". Karl gets 3 points tonight but only because he made me laugh. It's not very often that one comes across the term "debunk" very often unless you watch "ghost hunters" which would prove that Karl does indeed watch a LOT of TV :-) "

" Yikes If I were a cop I'd arrest you for serving that beer. That soldier went to war to defend our nation not to get an illegal drink. If you want him to have a drink then change the law. Until that you're busted! When I was that age I could fight in the war but couldn.t vote, as the voting age used to be 21. It's the law, live with it or change it. "

" Karl states that my so-called "proof" doesn't mean anything at all. He seems to insist that anything from anyone conservative doesn't count. He states that my arguement was lost because my proof laughable. Interesting, yet Karl watches admittedly skewed to the left "documentaries" and he takes them as gospel. Karl, you didn't refute my figures, you called into question my source and didn't offer any evidence to support your side of the debate other than we should watch "Sicko". Emotion over intellect once again. "

" BTW, Chris--you laugh at me for paying attention to Moore and believing him because he "wears his Liberal heart on his sleeve"--what about your fonts-of-Conservative-spin like O'Really?, Coulter, and Hannity? Are you trying to infer that Coulter or Bill-O are somehow credentialed MODERATES?!?! HA HA HA HA!!LOL! "

" Chris let me tell you why I respect your figures and facts that you can state but why they still don't change anything for me--because the Conservative Media is REALLY GOOD at finding "niche facts" that SEEM to refute or debunk a "Liberal" claim, only then 3 months later you find that their "facts' were hopelessly skewed, tainted, or simply plain MADE UP! I'm sure that there were valid reasons why some people didn't get immediate treatment or surgery in ANY given country, but we don't know WHY! Yet "your side" will blatantly skew the figures to "spin" it into a talking point. And you know what? Sad to say, but I accept the "truth" of one-sided documentaries like Moore's because, quite simply, YOUR SIDE is the ONLY side that gets told these loooong past 7 years--and NEVER, it seems, truthfully! If there's ONE THING that Conservative pundits like O'Reilly, Coulter and Limbaugh are good at, it's SPINNING! And Bush and Co, have been the most obfuscating, secretive, and plain DECEITFUL group of thugs EVER to disgrace a public office! Look at the BULL&#*& they "spun" with regards to Abstinence, WMD's, Spying Programs, Waterboarding--they lie, lie, LIE! So you know what?--At this point I'm prepared to believe ANYTHING EXCEPT what "your side" tells me! Remember the story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf"? Well I don't believe ANYTHING your side says anymore, cuz you've just been caught red-handed and red-faced in TOO MANY LIES! BTW, Mr Coulter--do you know what I find the MOST troubling and perplexing? The sheer "innocence" that you're willing to go out of your way to extend to Bush, as if he's some kind of Conservative "Prophet"--what's behind your loyalty to this LOSER? He's CERTAINLY NOT a real "Conservative", he's not a real "Leader"--only a "chickenhawk, really,--and he's CERTAINLY NO "CHRISTIAN"?! What's left??!! Do you find him that physically attractive?!?! "

" Karl, you get your information from an "Investigative Mockumentaries". Moore wears his liberal bias on his sleeve. He has stated on many occasions that he presents one side of a story. I wonder why people are coming from Europe in record numbers for treatment in the US. In the UK, out of 223,670 cases completed by August, 22, 212 had been referred for operations by their GP at least 52 weeks earlier and were still waiting for surgery. Thousands more did not have surgery within six months, and nearly half — 44 per cent —waited for longer than the Government’s planned new 18-week target. Can you imagine needing surgery and having to wait a minimum of 4.5 months up to 1 year +? If you think that what was shown with regard to socialized medicine in Cuba is what the Cuban people get, you need to lay off the drugs. And about Guiliani, Karl and Brew, you've stated your OPINIONS which are not facts. Karl and brew, like most liberals, tend to “reason” with emotion. A liberal has to have the capacity to learn and a liberal that can learn is a rare thing and unfortunately we don't seem to have that rare breed on this website. Funny..."Loose Change" comes out-Karl has an opinion on 9/11 blaming Bush. "Sicko" come out-Karl has an opinion on socialized medicine blaming Bush. Lets see when Karl watches "Valley of the Wolves"-whose American military doctor character engages in the harvesting of organs from civilian prisoners, it will be Bush's fault. When "Rendition" gets released on DVD Karl will have an opinion asserting that the American government allows innocent Muslim civilians to be tortured and it, of course, will be Bush's fault. Does anyone else see a pattern here? "

" You make a very solid point Brew about the legal age in which to consume alcohol. However, it doesn't mean that I have to like it. Sometimes, it's necessary to think outside the box. We currently have soldiers under the age of 21 serving in Iraq fighting a war that was based on reckless mis-truths from our government. Who are you, or who am I, to tell these youngsters when they come back from that situation that they can't enjoy a beer. Oh yes, they've fought for their RIGHT to PARTY and that's why it brings a tear to my eye whenever I hear that song. I'm not a bar owner (nor have I ever played one on TV) but if I were, you can bet your britches that not only would I serve them a beer, I wouldn't charge them for it either. Go ahead and stick that in your "FRIENDS" memoirs. "

" The reason for the huge increases in fuel costs is (drum roll please!) the liberal democrat bleeding heart hippies that don't want us to disturb nature to drill for oil in Alaska. OPEC knows that they can only raise prices so high, because it would become less expensive for us to produce our own oil. Wake up people---it isn't Bush--this has happened before, and it will happen again. Instead of just generically blaming the Bush administration, come up with a solution. By the way, who was president in 1994? I remember gas prices started their steady increase around that time. So, do we blame the Clinton administration? Now to Karl. Usually you have some good points to spew. Hillary has done nothing to benefit New Yorkers. Please state one fact, Karl, in which Hil actually made substantial strides for New Yorkers. She came in to New York because it was the easiest Senate seat to take, spent almost two terms doing nothing but sucking off New Yorkers tax dollars, voted in favor of sending our troops over seas, voted for two funding bills to finance the war, started campaigning for President. By the way, are we still paying her a salary? Are we paying for her travel, body guards, staff, etc? What ideas have she come up with to make the US a better place to live? Now Karl, can you realistically vote in good conscience for Hillary Clinton? I'm sure you're a decent guy in alot of ways Karl, but you seem to get a litte emotional--could you be any more defensive? Usually, people that are over defensive, have holes in their theory, and try to hide them by being emotional, so that everyone focuses on their emotional wreck of a rant. "

" If "Friends" continues to flaunt the law then it should be closed and the owners should be thrown in jail. You are ready to hang teens that drive and drink and kill someone so you should be willing to punish the ones that supply teens with alcohol. Any establishment has the right to serve in a legal manner. "

" Guiliani is Hitler in waiting because he governs by stomping on peoples rights to achieve his goals. He didn't clean up New York he just moved the filth to the suburbs. He like Bush and Hitler care nothing about your constitutional rights just his aggenda. "

" BTW Froggylady, thank you for sharing your sad tale of PROOF of how our "Health Care" System is one of the worst in the world. If we had socialized medicine, Chris Van Coulter's taxes would pay for your medicine and you would get it for almost free--and so would his hospital room when he had a fit of apoplexy and had to be committed! Seriously--SEE "SICKO"--EVERYBODY!!! YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE HOW DYSFUNCTIONAL he USA's system is COMPARED to the countries who have "socialized" medicine!!!! "

" Chris, lets just get to an even playing field here shall we" You mock that I get my facts from movies--as if a INVESTIGATIVE DOCUMENTARY is not valid (Do you ever watch Dateline NBC, 20/20, etc? Would it matter if it were on TV, dummy?!) --but YOU get your info from ANN COULTER and BILL O'REALLY?!?!?! GIVE ME A BREAK, oh Chrisocrite! I'm not surprised that you don't know about Giuliani's dangerous obsession with absolute authority and his paranoia about "Islamofacism". This nutcase will keep us in the Middle East in a state of war forEVER to purge his own personal demons about NOT PROTECTING NYC from the planes--OR!!--to assuage his conscience for letting Cheney's Black Opsunits bring down the towers with those planted explosives! He had HORRIBLE relationships with the people he worked with as mayor--yeah, just the kinda of inflexible hardhead we need after the WORST and most polarizing administration in history! Rudy is too power-hungry, too vainglorious, too cut-from-the-cloth of Cheney/Hitler! BTW Chris, how about that "strong economy"? Puhleeeeze--like you're a shining font of wisdom on anything! Go ahead though, rave on that the world may know ye mad! "

" I too miss the good old days when kids terrorized neighborghoods for Halloween. They probably should do it these days, too, with the sorry amount of people who hand out candy. Of course, if skateboarding gets you peppersprayed, soaping windows will probably get you shot. "

" Ok...this is it - percolator coffee is WAY better than drip coffee!! Anybody got a problem with that????? "

" Karl gets his facts from movies!! Now there's a hoot!! "

" Karl, your silly and nonsensical rant is something. Please tell us how Guiliani is a "Hitler in waiting". Only someone with absolutely no grasp of history would compare anyone to Hitler except for people like Stalin, Pol Pot and their ilk. BTW, David Dinkins was mayor in the first WTC bombings. Your lunacy is to be expected though since you get your 9/11 conspiricy theories from a movie, you get your health care information from a movie. Your opinions correspond with either theatrical or DVD relases of left wing, Bush hating make believe movies. "

" Iran has little to do with the rising fuel prices. G.W. Bush's "Power Elite" buddies are the reason the price is skyrocketing. They are greedy #%$##&..Ask the Conservative dimwits what happened to the electric cars in California...talk about dictators..GM and BIG OIL removed these successful vehicles because they were the inexpensive, environmentally friendly and reliable...their exsistence would have cost the GREEDY BOYS billion$$$..If global warming is possibly overplayed....are you willing to gamble succeeeding generations welfare???....Oh Yeah!!!...Drug makers and your Republican pals are what's keeping health costs so high....No Guts available to pass legislation needed to protect the old folks "

" WOW dip. I think you just gave thousands of kids an idea for the next Halloween. Good going! "

" Who says the founder of The Weather Channel disclaims global warming? If so, why do they run programs on the effects of global warming and related issues featuring Dr. Heidi Cullen? (Yes, my boyfriend is a farmer and The Weather Channel is nearly the only TV he watches). "

" Can someone please help me understand something? I have been sick for a couple weeks and this morning I took yet another script to a local pharmacy here in Auburn to be filled. I ended up having to pay a $40 copay for my medication!! I have a part time job and pay my own health insurance, and basically if I was a welfare bum instead I would have gotten my medication for nothing. Where is that okay? I pay my taxes and fight to be able to pay my bills on time, but I sure make life comfortable for Welfare Bums. I understand that some people really do need asssistance, and that's fine, but there is a BIG difference between needing help, and abusing the system. Something needs to be done, and soon before we all end up becoming bankrupt supporting those who can work, but don't. "

" Hilary is corrupt but also extremely smooth and good at telling the people what they want to hear. Who knows what she really thinks or if she even cares as long as she gets elected -- and there's a good chance she will. I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her. Of course, I feel the same way (or worse) about nearly all the other candidates as well. I still say the lesser of two evils is still evil; the only reason I vote for anyone is to exercise my right to vote for fear it will be taken away. The reality is that we have only an ILLUSION OF CHOICE -- those who make it onto the ballot are none of them anyone we'd truly want to lead our country. "

" BTW, Giuliani is Hitler-in-waiting, and even though he embraces a lot of admirable Liberal qualities, I wouldn't vote for him because he is an authoritarian GOON just like Cheney--but worse, he hides it with a jocular aire. (Look up "jocular, tome8869--dictionary.com) He also did NOTHING to protect NYC from the 9/11 bombers--TWICE! And he put the command center in WTC #7--what a moron! Well, doesn't matter anyway; we all know he was in on the bombing of the WTC anyway. He's just another "means to an end" guy! Boy, am I gonna rub it in when Hillary is being sworn IN! HA HA HA HAAAAAAA!!! "

" Once again, tome8689 shows the pathetic limitations of Conservative "thinking"--if Conservatives can even be said to "think"" and not just "parrot" talking points; examples: "carpetbagger", the 100% INCORRECT information about socialized Health Care. OK Stupid, listed up! I already know without asking that you obviously have NOT seen the BRILLIANT film by the true American hero, Michael Moore, "SICKO" which thoroughly DEMOLISHES all of the Conservative LIES about socialized Health Care. Countries who have this system have NO "waiting lists" AT ALL! Waiting times in hospital and doctor's waiting rooms are LESS THAN A HALF HOUR! And it's FREE! Medicine in the U.K. is about $6.00 per prescription--REGARDLESS OF THE TYPE OR AMOUNT OF PILLS! America is like, 38th on the list of list of life expectancy, (behind Cuba with its S.H.C.!) and 31 countries--among them Communist Cuba,Portugal and Slovenia, and including MOST of the countries WITH socialized medicine--have BETTER infant-mortality rates than the USA! Sorry MORON! You can spew your stupidity from the "Conservative Media" like Bill-O, Limburgher and O'Hanity--BUT IT ONLY PROVES YOU AS STOOOOOOPID AS THEY ARE!! see the movie, Loser--I DARE YOU TO CONFRONT THE FACTS!!! HA HA!!! LOSER! "

" Socialized Medicine is not the total answer but it is a step in the right direction. It would take a lot of worry out of currently and soon to be retired. I can't imagine what it is like not to have insurance. We can spend billions on our American embarrassment (the war in Iraq)and do little to help those in need at home. Let's face it Politics now is all spin and directed to the whims of special interests. $$$$$$$ "

" Karl is a liberal idiot who gives talking points only. Hillary Clinton is a carpet bagger who was elected by the liberals in New York without contributing one thing to the people here in upstate New York. Regardless of what anyone thinks about Giuliani he cleaned up New York City. He did away with the pathetic homeless people urinating and deficating in front of restaurants and all the adult shops. He amade it a lot safer and he cleaned it up more than any other mayor. Your buddy Dinkins did nothing more than play tennis all day and let the city go to hell. As for socialized medicine you moron, the countries that have it seek medical attention in our country because of the long waiting periods, especially with neonatal care. You can spew whatever garbage your computer will type with your factless information you idiot. You need to read more than you liberal biased newspapers. "

" OK, where do we start here...Giuliani is certifiably a genuine crackpot; the exact same mold as Bush, but possibly even more paranoid. You'd have to be a moron to vote for that idiot! Hillary is simply the next President, so better got used to the idea--and of "socialized" health care, which intelligent people have known for years is the smartest way to treat the sick. Global warming is real, and happening now---get over it, buddy, any nut can parrot Faux News and get a mention on the weather channel--big whoop! Lets see--oh yeah; it was Bush and Cheney who turned back time to the grand old days of the Third Reich and Authoritarianism gone awry! Lastly--there is NO SUCH THING as "The Liberal Media". Stop listening to Rush Scumbaugh and turn on Keith Olberman, fool! "

" I'm still saddened by "friends" being closed down temporarily. I'm not quite sure who sang it but there was a song back in the old day that went something like this; "You've got to fight, for your right, to PARTY". It still brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. "

" If Hilary is Hitler than Bush is Satan himself. "

" Julie Monson is dead. Will he bring her back to life? "