Obama '08?

That post has to be one of the most ridiculous ones ever placed here, Gala. I am not afraid of black people, okay. The subject here is politics, and I happen to oppose some politicians, which some happen to be black. Others that I support, some are black. I happen to also oppose some politicians that happen to be white, and it isn't because of them being white either, its because of their political views and agenda.

Sheesh, just about the time I think I have seen the most bizarre opinion, another that is more bizarre appears. Nothing surprises me anymore from the liberal minds here.

Suprematist okie doesn't understand why people will not believe him.

I wonder if okie ever told a white guy to "get over it?"

As maporsche, McGentrix, and possibly others I am not sure, have already pointed out how you are wrong, I will point out the obvious again, you are wrong, djjd62. Fact is, if you knew anything about the military, and especially about the Vietnam era and Fort Polk in particular, you would have enough sense not to say something like that. And by the way, I know quite a few Vietnam vets pretty well, and I have discussed these things with them, and most either agree or understand totally.

To try to explain it to you, and if you have never been in basic training, especially if you haven't been in basic training in the Vietnam era in Fort Polk, here are some basic things you should know. From the very minute you arrive at the base, the guys assigned to do the training made it their mission to make sure you received the training that would prepare you both physically and mentally to endure combat situations for prolonged periods of time as would be necessary for a year tour in Vietnam. Most of the guys trained in the units I was in there ended up in Vietnam, both basic and AIT. So, from the minute you arrived there, the schedule was filled with emotional and physical pressure, and harrassment was a big part of it from the time you get up in the morning until you went to sleep at night. Probably it would not pass now, but I personally witnessed a guy slugged as hard as the drill sargent could give it just outside the mess hall, I saw a guy break down and cry, I saw a guy fall out of formation while running to the rifle range due to exhaustion and the drill sargent come and physically kick the guy and told to get up, only to realize he was in serious trouble and the ambulance picked him up. I saw troops do the low crawl for their mail, sometimes for 25 yards at least or more. Plus the things I mention above, the standard was getting up at approximately around 4 almost every single day, intense physical training every day, lack of adequate sleep, and constant commands and directions, whether we were outside or inside to for classes. Besides that, our clothing had to be kept tip top shape and shined boots, polished brass, a bunk and foot locker according to form, and so forth every single day. Almost every single minute of every single day was scripted by the training staff, and personal time was almost non-existent, except for maybe short times on some Sundays.

If you have ever heard of a "blanket party" for drill sargents, you would understand. I heard about them, but never saw one, but I can understand why they might have occurred.

So if you had been there, you would also understand that in some ways it was worse than Vietnam. In Vietnam, although the danger was the primary consideration, the attitudes of officers toward non-coms were totally different and better, the dress code and constant commands and harassment pretty much totally disappeared and were replaced with an attitude of cooperation and "we are in this together" feeling. I won't say that in totality that basic training was worse than Vietnam, but in some respects it was in some ways, which is all I said. To tell me I don't know what I am talking about is only to reveal your own lack of knowledge. I have talked to other Vietnam vets as I am and I think most agree with me, depending upon where they trained and for what they trained, their MOS. I also am aware that a relative of mine was in the Marines in a much worse area of Vietnam and I don't think he would agree with me, although the training for Marines was as intense or moreso than the Army. Also, you should know also that my experience in Vietnam was in the infrantry as a "grunt," so you cannot claim my job was easy there, although my tour of duty came after the worst periods there that included for example the Tet Offensive.

If you knew what I knew, you would know why I jumped onto John Kerry so aggressively when he made the claims he made about Vietnam which clearly demonstrated his lack of honesty or knowledge about it. I joined the Swift Boaters for Truth and that is how I ever got started on any debate forum, when that forum sort of ran its course, I sought out another one and ended up here.

dyslexia obviously doesn't know what he is talking about. And you don't either, because you were not there. Vietnam, you have to know what the guys did there to know why they won't talk about it. Basic training, there are humorous things because some of the stuff that we did lend themselves to humor, to odd and funny things happening. Also, when under stress, people can do funny things, which might not be real funny then but might be later.

Uh yeah, I said in my post that I wasn't there.

But, I will say that the number of dead and injured in Vietnam was pretty high compared to that of basic training, I have little doubt. I'm sure that the war was a lot worse for some than others.

Cycloptichorn

I am still waiting for teeny to explain to me how opposing Obama's policies are because of racist beliefs. This is the kind of racial crap that needs to be dispelled and dispatched, because it simply does not have any basis in fact for the vast majority of the opposition to Obama. The claims similar to teeny's have been advanced ever since Obama began his candidacy and they continue in some form to this very day, and elements of the press also advance the very same attitude and accusations, and its total and absolute crap. I would challenge teeny again to prove her consistency by also demonstrating how all of the opposition to Bush and his policies were likewise racially motivated. She won't because she can't, plain and simple.

I would like to see some intellectual honesty and just some good basic logic demonstrated here, from folks like teeny. She seems like a good person and she has posted some very civil opinions with me, but I think she really needs to have some evidence before she makes the accusations of racism here.

Another point about this, the conservative opposition to Clinton during his 8 years was just as strong as it is with Obama, and obviously it was not racial. We conservatives will oppose vigorously any extreme liberal politician that is trying to forever change our country into something we do not think is good for it. And in Obama, we have perhaps the most liberal president in history, a guy that is very socialistic, if not outright Marxist or communist in his innermost thought. Although he will not admit it, all of his past associations, many of his comments, and his general direction of policy all seem to be headed in that general direction down the road.

What can one expect from a true-blue American, okie, who calls our president a Marxist-commie who associates himself with socialists like Rev Wright?

cyclops, the threat of death is not the only consideration in regard to emotional and physical stress. Riding in an automobile is more dangerous than many things as well, but that does not mean that riding in an automobile is always stressful. I would say from experience in Vietnam that one can get somewhat used to the level of danger, after all we did not spend every single day being shot at, in fact it was mostly boredom. And to be honest, the most narrow escapes I had was from friendly fire. Yes, it happens alot.

I think I have heard an old saying that the vast majority of war is boredom, with a small percentage of time the boredom is transformed into shear terror. I think I would agree with that, but in basic training although no shear terror, it was almost 100% scripted stress of some type, physical and mental, except when asleep, but even then you knew you would awake to another day of more of the same. Don't get me wrong, guys survive fine, but I am telling you I did not enjoy it at all and I knew I would never re-up.

I think this is the quote I found on a website, apparently from a letter written by a soldier during the civil war. I think it is pretty accurate.

"Soldiering is 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror."

By the way, the elections tonight appear to be better than average for Republicans fortunes, and a clear shot across the bow of Obama's agenda. I think reps that are riding the fence or leaning toward going with Obama's agenda better think twice or even three times before they go liberal, or allow themselves to be browbeat by Obama's administration into submitting to their agenda. Perhaps they now know the electorate may be waking up out of their trance imposed by the Obama bandwagon. The bandwagon is developing some very serious problems. I hope this trend continues into November, 2010. Hope is still alive, folks.

Perhaps. Unless they can't fix the economy in less than a ******* year. Then those seats go back to Democrats.

It's just musical chairs, really.

It really is just musical chairs, with neither party doing anything to make our country any better.

It's musical chairs for sure! Republicans have short memories; it took Bush eight years to destroy America, and conservatives now want Obama to fix everything in his first ten months in office.

They lack common sense, and any hope to fix anything in the future under conservatives is a hopeless goal. They even want to destroy universal health care, because they don't want Obama to "win" anything.

Americans will smarten up to the "no" party when they gain congress.

A Republican congress did enact welfare reform and they did balance the budget in the late 90's, even with a Democrat president in place. I think if conservatives develop a clear message with clear goals that are pure American and sensible, like balancing the budget, empowering the people instead of government, and so forth, as Gingrich developed in the 90's, it can be a winning message.

Okie,
As a Virginian conservative who spent hours on the phone and knocking on doors the past few days, we here are quite pleased at how things turned out. Even had opportunity to make a couple thousand calls to NJ and like to think we might have had some small contribution to that win as well.

While these results will certainly be damaging to Obama's political capital, I think the biggest impact of these elections will be felt in the Republican party...especially if Hoffman still pulls it out.

Despite Obama's corrupt election fixing group ACORN even!

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/03/new-jersey-hospital-denies-claim-acorn-workers-collected-absentee-ballots/

"Slavin was referring to reports that claimed people wearing ACORN shirts were spotted distributing and collecting absentee ballots at a hospital in the area. The Wall Street Journal reported this Monday, as did BigGovernment.com -- the Web site that publicized recent undercover operations in which ACORN workers were filmed giving tax advice to two activists posing as a pimp and prostitute. "

According a a times report, okie was seen molesting a child.

I do not wish to derail the discussion, but I think this is worthy of note, and worth watching as more stories come out about more books from the Obama family history. Just to be clear, not blaming Barack Obama at all for dysfunction of his family in his youth, but these are things that have shaped the personality and character of Obama.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/03/obamas-half-brother-recalls-abusive-father-book/

Obama's Half Brother Recalls Abusive Father in Book
"...
In one passage, Ndesandjo writes, "David easily remembered the hulking man whose breath reeked of cheap Pilsner beer who had often beaten his mother. He had long searched for good memories of his father but had found none."
..."

You do not wish to derail the discussion, but want to throw in more BS. ha ha ha...

If this is what shaped Obama's character, how do you account for your's?

Are you a combat vet, Okie?