None of my snooty opinions in this one. Just some polling data that I didn't expect.
I'm looking at the results of a recent Harris poll. Not a presidential poll... we're all sick of looking at those... the questions were simply about what was believed about certain aspects of the war in Iraq, Al Qaeda, etc. The results really surprised me, considering the stuff we constantly hear on CNN, CBS, etc.
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris ... sp?PID=508
I'll copy/paste the bulk of the text from the article. It's not long.
Iraq, 9/11, Al Qaeda and Weapons of Mass Destruction:
What the Public Believes Now, According to Latest Harris Poll
If President George Bush is re-elected it will be because he succeeded in persuading most people that his sense of what happened in Iraq, and why, is more accurate than that of his critics.
Large majorities of the public accept many of the president?s positions:
90 percent of U.S. adults believe that Saddam Hussein would have made weapons of mass destruction if he could have.
76 percent believe that the Iraqis are better off now than they were under Saddam Hussein.
63 percent believe that history will give the U.S. credit for bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq.
63 percent believe that Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, was a serious threat to U.S. security.
62 percent believe that Saddam Hussein had strong links to Al Qaeda (a claim which Vice President Cheney has made more than President Bush).
More surprising perhaps are the large numbers (albeit not majorities) who believe claims which the president has not made , and which virtually no experts believe to be true:
41 percent believe that Saddam Hussein helped plan and support the hijackers who attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001.
38 percent believe that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the U.S. invaded.
37 percent actually believe that several of the hijackers who attacked the U.S. on September 11 were Iraqis.
Another interesting finding is that only 45 percent believe that Saddam Hussein was prevented from developing weapons of mass destruction by the U.N. weapons inspectors, something which most reports now believe to be true.
These are some of the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 1,016 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive? between October 14 and 17, 2004.
The poll finds large differences between the beliefs of Bush and Kerry supporters. But the striking finding is how many Kerry supporters (usually sizable minorities) believe the president?s views are accurate; for example, 39 percent of Kerry supporters believe history will credit the U.S. for bringing freedom and democracy to Iraq. Even more striking, fully 31 percent of Kerry supporters believe several of the hijackers who attacked the U.S. on 9/11 were Iraqis, and 37 percent believe that Saddam Hussein had strong links to Al Qaeda.
What Ameircans believe about Iraq, 9/11, etc.
Moderator: Priests of Syrinx
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ElfDude
- Posts: 11085
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2003 1:19 pm
- Location: In the shadows of the everlasting hills
- Contact:
What Ameircans believe about Iraq, 9/11, etc.
Aren't you the guy who hit me in the eye?
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Mithrandir
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:12 pm
Theodore Roosevelt's ideas on Immigrants, and being an AMERICAN in 1907:
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant, who comes here in good faith, becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.
But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all.
We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt, 1907
And today their are 12 MILLION illegals..(per Orlando Sentinel, 3-8-06.)
"In the first place, we should insist that if the immigrant, who comes here in good faith, becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.
But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet an American, and nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all.
We have room for but one flag, the American flag... We have room for but one language here, and that is the English language... and we have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt, 1907
And today their are 12 MILLION illegals..(per Orlando Sentinel, 3-8-06.)
Don't start none...won't be none.
Our Military
The average age of the military man is 19 years.
He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who,
under normal circumstances is considered by
society as half man, half boy.
Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough
to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country.
He never really cared much for work and he would
rather wax his own car than wash his father's;
but he has never collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate;
he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities,
drives a ten year old jalopy,
and has a steady girlfriend
that either broke up with him when he left,
or swears to be waiting--when he returns from half a world away.
He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop
or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now
than when he was at home ,
because he is working or fighting
from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble spelling,
thus letter writing is a pain for him,
but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds
and reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature
of a machine gun or grenade launcher
and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines
and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop,
or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation,
but he is not without spirit or individual dignity.
He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues:
he washes one and wears the other.
He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth,
but never to clean his rifle.
He can cook his own meals,
mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you;
if you are hungry, his food.
He'll even split his ammunition with you
in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons, and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it,
because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian,
draw half the pay --
and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering
and death then he should have
in his short lifetime.
He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies,
and helped to create them.
He has wept in public and in private,
for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem
vibrate through his body
while at rigid attention,
while tempering the burning desire to
'square-away' those around him,
who haven't bothered to stand,
remove their hat, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out,
far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather,
and Great-grandfather, he /she is paying
the price for our freedom.
Beardless or not, he is not a boy.
He is the American Fighting Man
that has kept this country free
for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return,
except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always,
for he has earned our respect
and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger,
doing their part in this tradition
of going to War
when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight,
remember this shot..
A short lull, a little shade ,
and a picture of loved ones in their helmets...
When you receive this,
please stop for a moment and say a prayer
for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air,
and for those in Iraq.
There is nothing attached....
This can be very powerful......
Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine or Airman, prayer is the very best one.
The average age of the military man is 19 years.
He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who,
under normal circumstances is considered by
society as half man, half boy.
Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough
to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country.
He never really cared much for work and he would
rather wax his own car than wash his father's;
but he has never collected unemployment either.
He's a recent High School graduate;
he was probably an average student,
pursued some form of sport activities,
drives a ten year old jalopy,
and has a steady girlfriend
that either broke up with him when he left,
or swears to be waiting--when he returns from half a world away.
He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop
or rap or jazz or swing and 155mm howitzer.
He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now
than when he was at home ,
because he is working or fighting
from before dawn to well after dusk.
He has trouble spelling,
thus letter writing is a pain for him,
but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds
and reassemble it in less time in the dark.
He can recite to you the nomenclature
of a machine gun or grenade launcher
and use either one effectively if he must.
He digs foxholes and latrines
and can apply first aid like a professional.
He can march until he is told to stop,
or stop until he is told to march.
He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation,
but he is not without spirit or individual dignity.
He is self-sufficient.
He has two sets of fatigues:
he washes one and wears the other.
He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.
He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth,
but never to clean his rifle.
He can cook his own meals,
mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.
If you're thirsty, he'll share his water with you;
if you are hungry, his food.
He'll even split his ammunition with you
in the midst of battle when you run low.
He has learned to use his hands like weapons, and weapons like they were his hands.
He can save your life - or take it,
because that is his job.
He will often do twice the work of a civilian,
draw half the pay --
and still find ironic humor in it all.
He has seen more suffering
and death then he should have
in his short lifetime.
He has stood atop mountains of dead bodies,
and helped to create them.
He has wept in public and in private,
for friends who have fallen in combat
and is unashamed.
He feels every note of the National Anthem
vibrate through his body
while at rigid attention,
while tempering the burning desire to
'square-away' those around him,
who haven't bothered to stand,
remove their hat, or even stop talking.
In an odd twist, day in and day out,
far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.
Just as did his Father, Grandfather,
and Great-grandfather, he /she is paying
the price for our freedom.
Beardless or not, he is not a boy.
He is the American Fighting Man
that has kept this country free
for over 200 years.
He has asked nothing in return,
except our friendship and understanding.
Remember him, always,
for he has earned our respect
and admiration with his blood.
And now we even have women over there in danger,
doing their part in this tradition
of going to War
when our nation calls us to do so.
As you go to bed tonight,
remember this shot..
A short lull, a little shade ,
and a picture of loved ones in their helmets...
When you receive this,
please stop for a moment and say a prayer
for our ground troops in Afghanistan, sailors on ships, and airmen in the air,
and for those in Iraq.
There is nothing attached....
This can be very powerful......
Of all the gifts you could give a US Soldier, Sailor, Coastguardsman, Marine or Airman, prayer is the very best one.
Don't start none...won't be none.
-
Walkinghairball
- Posts: 25037
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:42 pm
- Location: In a rock an roll venue near you....as long as you are in the Pacific Northwest.
my pleasure, but just passing it on...I didn't pen it, but wished I would have...how true..makes ya think long and hard how well off we are, while others sacrifice 
my USMC constituents passed it on to me...oh, that was my 50-Dollar word for the day....Repeat after me class: CON-STI-TU-ENTS
my USMC constituents passed it on to me...oh, that was my 50-Dollar word for the day....Repeat after me class: CON-STI-TU-ENTS
Don't start none...won't be none.
Love him or loathe him, Rush Limbaugh nailed this one right on the head..........
"I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty, and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11.
Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of our country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.
If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.
Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.
Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough.
Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers.
We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting.
In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.
You see where this is going, don't you?
Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise.
Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East, while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?
However, our own U.S. Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement--because they didn't have to pay into the system!
If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.
I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks, before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting."
"I think the vast differences in compensation between victims of the September 11 casualty, and those who die serving our country in Uniform are profound. No one is really talking about it either, because you just don't criticize anything having to do with September 11.
Well, I can't let the numbers pass by because it says something really disturbing about the entitlement mentality of our country. If you lost a family member in the September 11 attack, you're going to get an average of $1,185,000. The range is a minimum guarantee of $250,000, all the way up to $4.7 million.
If you are a surviving family member of an American soldier killed in action, the first check you get is a $6,000 direct death benefit, half of which is taxable.
Next, you get $1,750 for burial costs. If you are the surviving spouse, you get $833 a month until you remarry. And there's a payment of $211 per month for each child under 18. When the child hits 18, those payments come to a screeching halt.
Keep in mind that some of the people who are getting an average of $1.185 million up to $4.7 million are complaining that it's not enough.
Their deaths were tragic, but for most, they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Soldiers put themselves in harms way FOR ALL OF US, and they and their families know the dangers.
We also learned over the weekend that some of the victims from the Oklahoma City bombing have started an organization asking for the same deal that the September 11 families are getting.
In addition to that, some of the families of those bombed in the embassies are now asking for compensation as well.
You see where this is going, don't you?
Folks, this is part and parcel of over 50 years of entitlement politics in this country. It's just really sad. Every time a pay raise comes up for the military, they usually receive next to nothing of a raise.
Now the green machine is in combat in the Middle East, while their families have to survive on food stamps and live in low-rent housing. Make sense?
However, our own U.S. Congress voted themselves a raise. Many of you don't know that they only have to be in Congress one time to receive a pension that is more than $15,000 per month. And most are now equal to being millionaires plus. They do not receive Social Security on retirement--because they didn't have to pay into the system!
If some of the military people stay in for 20 years and get out as an E-7, they may receive a pension of $1,000 per month, and the very people who placed them in harm's way receives a pension of $15,000 per month.
I would like to see our elected officials pick up a weapon and join ranks, before they start cutting out benefits and lowering pay for our sons and daughters who are now fighting."
Don't start none...won't be none.
true Soup...very true...the thing about young military families being on food stamps...I've seen it myself...Sigette has had to help 'em out more than once...she said it's hard to see a young military wife of a E1 or E2 cry in the checkout line of the grocery store because she doesn't have enough money to cover basic food needs for her family...that SUCKS man....this ain't RUSSIA...WTF?
We'll keep helping them as long as we breathe oxygen, but that's just WRONG...
We'll keep helping them as long as we breathe oxygen, but that's just WRONG...
Don't start none...won't be none.
-
Walkinghairball
- Posts: 25037
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 9:42 pm
- Location: In a rock an roll venue near you....as long as you are in the Pacific Northwest.
When I was in the Army we did the math and If I remember correctly being a 24/7 job, as the Military is, it comes out to roughly $2.75 an hour. And that was at E-4.
I'm surprised the Armed Forces haven't started recruiting Illegals to undercut the Americans like in every other freakin job. WTF!!!
I'm surprised the Armed Forces haven't started recruiting Illegals to undercut the Americans like in every other freakin job. WTF!!!
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