Democrats have decided that the Iraq conflict is one ugly baby, and they're right about that. But from their rhetoric and short memories, you would never know they were directly involved in it's conception. A majority of Democrats in congress voted to give President Bush the authority to go to war in Iraq in 2002 and then voted - more than once- to continue to fund the effort. And now, Democrats want to turn on a dime and pretend as if the Iraq war is soneone else's mess. But let's be clear: it's a mess that Democrats helped make. What's unclear is where they intend to go from here if they get the chance to lead the country. They can't make up their mind, if any to make up.

Legislatures in 16 states have loosened voting restrictions on felons over the last decade,according to a new report, a trend hailed by human rights advocates and the ACLU. Voting bans vary widely among the states , with many barring current inmates and parolees from voting until they have fulfilled their sentences, and some barring felons for life. Maine and Vermont permit inmates to vote.

Roger Clegg, president of the Center for Equal Opportunity, a conservative advocacy group in Washington sez "if you're not willing to follow the law, then you shouldn't claim the right to make the law for someone else."

I would expect that Jimmy Carter and Teddy Kennedy would be in favor of granting the vote to felons while President Bush and Newt Gingrich would oppose.

My question is, which party would get majority of felon's votes?

To answer question, bill HR5528 proposed in August 2001 to give felons the vote was sponsored by a democrat and co-sponsored by 17 more democrats, including Betty McCollum of Minnesota. The bill never made it to the floor for vote.

Latest bumper sticker "YUCK BUSH" , probably meant to replace "Y" with "F". Does it take a genius to display a hate Bush bumper sticker? Among many others, too numerous to show, are "BUCK FUSH" and "JESUS IS A LIBERAL" accompanied with the fish symbol with Darwin inside. I have seen only one against Democrat and that was
"VIETNAM VETS OPPOSED TO KERRY", not a personal attack.

Saw United Flight 93 on TV and I see it as a good reminder of what could happen again if we don't remain diligent. It seems that protection of civil rights is more important than continuing with electronic surveillance. We have to be nice to them even though they chop off our heads and we are not allowed to use military tribunals. And to add insult to injury, the DFL has endorsed a Muslim man to run for US congress from 5th district.

...From Thursday's Philly Inquirer " If you're tired of negative media reporting coming out of Iraq (and, increasingly' Afghanistan), Matthew Currier Burden's The Blog of War: Front-Line Dispatches From Soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will be a welcome respite."

Don't miss Marks latest book Tailgating, Sacks and Salary Caps. How The NFL Became The Most Sucessful Sports Leauge In History. It's the true and accrit inside story of 70-year-old formula behind the NFL's rise to dominance.

All this said, Alan still prefers baseball and rhe Twins. He just paid $28.00 for a Kirby Puckett Wheaties box. Don't tell Marianne.

Amen.