Off-Topic

I agree. He had a golden opportunity to look like the adult in the room and back, what most observers called, a serious and reasonable plan to address a huge problem facing our country. Instead, he made the political calculation that cutting benefits and raising taxes was a political loser and did nothing.

Maybe he's right, but backing BS would've shown some real political courage. He could've taken on his own party by advocating raising the retirement age and means testing Medicare and SS. Things most experts say are no brainer fixes for those programs. More importantly for him, he could've called the Republicans' bluff on spending cuts. Awfully easy to call for deep spending cuts when they're out of power. What happens when they are confronted with the prospect of voting against a serious plan that addresses our long term financial woes?

Can you get us Obama's grades from Harvard Law?

Back of the envelope analysis says his former secretary paid about 24%.

My extra analysis says she paid about 21.5%, since you get $2,000 back if you're in school.

Because the big bad "Chicago" political machine getting three "made men" Chicago Outfit Mafioso elected to the city council never happened.

Oh wait. :doh:

John D'Arco
Fred Roti
Pat Marcy

Yes, of course you're 100% correct, it's ALL an 'act',

Speaking of Chicago political machine, this one is an absolute Gem: CHICAGO (CBS) – State Rep. Derrick Smith (D-Chicago), who was arrested on a federal bribery charge last week, easily defeated challenger Tom Swiss on Tuesday in the Democratic race for the 10th District seat in the Illinois House.

Your boy took a bribe, got caught, was arrested, and STILL won the election with 77% of the vote! All backed by this "imaginary" Chicago political machine.

Oh, wait:

"For his part, Swiss said it was difficult to beat Smith with record low turnout for an Illinois primary in a presidential election year, especially when Smith was backed by the Democratic machine."

“But it is Chicago. It is Chicago, so there shouldn’t be anything that really surprises you. I told these guys all along that Chicago is known for a lot of political heartbreak,” Swiss added.

Shocker. lol

There will be plenty of new national polls to choose from by next week, I bet.

Paul posting, followed within seconds by Sohlman, reminds me of these guys. Paul, I love ya dude, but you've gotta tell Mini-Me to hold off a little.

Wait, are some people arguing that you can graduate magna cum laude without good grades? What if you found out that he graduated in the top 10% of his class? Would you still need to see his actual grades before believing that they were good? I mean, I'm no fan of Obama whatsoever but this is just ridiculous.

LOL. Please explain to me what you think Obama's law school grades will show you that his actual standing in his law school class and latin honors don't show you?

I'm not even exaggerating when I say 99% of people I know who look at law school grades (and I look at countless ones per year and have done my share of legal recruiting) look more at relative class rank than actual grades in a particular class. Hell, every third person on this board seems to be a lawyer. Ask them if they'd rather have a high GPA/high grade in a particular class...or finish in the top 10% of their class. Specific law school grades mean nothing in a law school setting which generally has blind grading and curves. I don't even look at the actual transcript of anyone we're hiring. All I need to know is GPA or class rank. And Obama finished top 10% at Harvard Law.

.... and the 31 City Aldermen sentenced to jail time for corruption since mid 70's, and all the dead people who voted, and all the union/mafia corruption and graft, and .....

Cook County has been a "dark pool of political corruption" for more than a century, a new study by the University of Illinois at Chicago says.
http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/politics/illinois-corruption-84736672.html#ixzz1rxLkkukk

Nearly 150 employees, politicians and contractors in the nation's second-largest county have been convicted on corruption charges since 1957, according to a report released Thursday by the university and the Better Government Association (.pdf)

The 33-page study gives a history of corruption, starting from 1869 when county commissioners were jailed for rigging a bid to paint City Hall. It also details hiring scandals, including some under Cook County Board President Todd Stroger. Stroger hasn't been charged with any crime.

With the three made men City Aldermen, John D'Arco, Fred Roti, and Pat Marcy, those are only the three we actually know about, who knows who else may have gotten in there.

As for Obama, he only started his political career in the home of two admitted domestic terrorists who have said "they didn't do enough" so I guess he pales in comparison.

But yea, no such thing as the big bad "Chicago" political machine. Seriously, are you about 20 years old? LOL.

I know it's somewhat of a throwaway line to say that if rich guys like Buffett want to pay more to the government, they should just write a check. But really, let's think about this. If you accept the argument on Obama's terms, that it is really not "fair" for you to pay less than 30% of your income to the government, then why aren't you writing a check? If this is really a matter of right and wrong (and, as Obama concedes, this wouldn't make a meaningful impact on the deficit anyway), then shouldn't you be giving that amount to the government regardless of whether you are compelled by law to do it, and regardless of whether others similarly situated are doing it along with you? I mean, think about if there were a bunch of bigwig Democrat businessmen lobbying for an increase in the minimum wage because the current level is not "fair." If it was then discovered that those businessmen were actually paying the current minimum wage to many of their employees, would we just say, oh, it doesn't matter, they're just paying what is legally required of them? Wouldn't they be blasted for rank hypocrisy, and justifiably so? How is this any different?

Why are you so defensive about seeing his classes taken, and grades received? What on earth could be the harm if the American people saw the courses he took through ALL of his college career, and the grades he received?

Why, I imagine that it would resolve forever that he is the brainiest lefty to ever hold the presidency.