Might it not be better if Congress started its day reading from the Constitution its duties? It seems to be lost on them that they are to levy & collect taxes, pay debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare. They seem utterly clueless as to what any of this means. While doing that they might want to read what Thomas Jefferson wrote in the Act for Establishing Religious Freedom, 1779, 1786): "The opinions of man are not the objects for civil governments, not under its jurisdiction." It's not the role of government to cajole as many deities as they can conjure. It was the clear intent of the founders that government have nothing to do with catering to their various opinions.

In the 1940s they thought that John L. Lewis, United Mine Workers head was the anti-Christ. Why? Because of his bushy eyebrows. They also predicted that Jesus was coming back in 40 years or less.

Hence, the principle of the sandpile effect. At some point, one grain of sand can cause an avalanche. Thus, every vote counts, and no one vote cancels out an other. This is similar to the straw that broke the camel's back theory.

Who is Sen. Bayh (D-IN) trying to fool? His stated reasons for leaving is about as counterfeit as a cheap counterfeit could be. Is he not aware that there's been very little change in Congress in the past 100 plus years? Did not Mark Twain say: I was very particular about the kind of job I wanted. I didn't want to work. So I went over to the Congress, that Grand Old Benevolent National Asylum for the Helpless, and I reported on the inmates there." "It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress." "Reader, suppose you were an idiot…and suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." So, Sen. Bayh, go ahead and leave as a frustrated inmate of the national asylum; or as a member of the criminal class who hasn't been caught yet, or as the last category, an idiot. Go off in Hoosier land and spend the rest of your days pouting. In Kentucky, we currently have two that can easily fit in any and all three of Mark Twain's categories.

Those who have kept up with economic news have known that this second phase of the real estate bubble was coming. There's little the average American can do. However, there are some things that one can do. Save, savings accounts, CDs, investments in government securities. If unemployed, take whatever job you can find and do. All work is honorable. "Chinese households save an unusually high proportion of their rising incomes, in marked contrast to Americans, who in recent years have saved almost none at all." (The Assent of Money by Niall Ferguson, p. 334.) Yet the average American earns about $34,000 a year; the average Chinese live on less than $2,000 a year. Don't buy a house thinking you're buying an investment. You're buying a place to live. Downsize, tighten your belt, save and live a notch or two below your means. Other than that we're still likely to see another real estate bubble burst, but this time it will be commercial real estate. There's also likely to be more home foreclosures.

Looks like feudalism is alive and well in Kentucky. American ideals and values don't sell too well to Kentuckians evidently. But then did the Democratic candidate Jodie Haydon promote American values in the campaign? Voter turnout was also low. Is there any Democratic machinery that's active that can get out the vote (GOTV)?

Dr. Buckmaster obviously doesn't have much sense about the American values of our founders. He might want to start reading The Federalist Papers and Alexander Hamilton's 1791 report to Congress on manufactures. If it does, then he'll find that his views are out of line with our founders and more in line with the feudalist Republicans, Libertarians and conservatives in general. Buchmaster's "common sense" could more properly be call "common nonsense."

If either candidate is interested in promoting jobs in Kentucky, they need to be pressured on the question of where do they stand on legalizing cannabis? All cannabis should be legalized. A 1998 University of Kentucky study reported that: "If just one-fourth of Kentucky’s 90 agricultural counties went into industrial hemp business, approximately 17,348 jobs would be created and $396 million in worker earnings generated year." http://www.industrialhemp.net/pdf/hempstudy.pdf "The Budgetary Implications of Marijuana Prohibition,” of June 2005 "estimates that legalizing marijuana would save $7.7 billion per year in government expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. $5.3 billion of this savings would accrue to state and local governments, while $2.4 billion would accrue to the federal government.” http://www.prohibitioncosts.org/execsummary.html It's also been estimated that if THC were taxed at $100 an ounce and the 1.1 million pounds of THC grown in Kentucky were sold and taxed, it would generate about $1.7 billion to the Kentucky treasury. So where is Ms. Greenwell on these issues? Is she willing to support the legalization of all things cannabis?

Rand Paul is just like all other Republicans, Libertarians and conservatives. Their whole economic, social and political philosophy is rooted and grounded in feudalism. FDR once said of conservatives: "A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward." And why is that? It's because they want to walk backwards to feudalism. They care more about the lord of the manor than they do the serfs. Rand Paul and Trey Greyson are cut from the same feudalistic mold.

The abortion issue is a liberty issue. Why are no candidates making this point? The Preamble to the US Constitution clearly states: "…secure the blessings of liberty for ourselves and posterity." The pledge to the flag includes the expression "with liberty and justice for all." The inscription on the Liberty Bell reads: "Proclaim liberty throughout the land to all the inhabitants thereof." That, by the way, is from the Bible, Leviticus 25:10 and was the contribution of our Puritan forbearers. The Pilgrims used the Bible verse: "Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be no entangled again in a yoke of bondage." (Galatians 5:1) Anti-abortion laws are just another form of bondage, another form of denying liberty to all the inhabitants of the land. Anti-abortionists ignore the hidden agenda of the Catholic clergy in their anti-abortion stance. The church of Emperor Constantine, the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest pedophile and pederasty organization in the world. Their anti-abortion stance is the ensure that their fellow clerics have a steady supply of fresh young meat. When the clergy and their minions make an appearance at abortion clinics they are nothing more than domestic terrorists. Women are not here on this earth to be targets subject to harassment and intimidation because they choose to exercise their right to liberty and make an informed decision that has to be difficult enough anyhow.