I have never read what sort of political affiliation Dolly Parton had.

Now I'm seeing stuff come out that makes her a Democrat.

She supported the Democratic Party and Democratic causes.

I find it hard to believe she would have liked Trump.

She might have been polite but not really liked him.

Sitz,

I knew there would be one.

As if....

Truth,

"WE HAD AN AGREEMENT WITH IRAN THAT KEPT IRAN FROM GETTING NUKES."

And why was an agreement necessary in the first place?

Iran had been enriching uranium underground, and when inspectors wanted access to certain suspicious sites, Iran didn't always let them in.

Iran hasn't exactly demonstrated that it can be trusted.

Just look at the Strait of Hormuz. Agreements and understandings have been made, broken down, renegotiated and made again.

Nothing is ever really settled when you're dealing with chronic liars.

And don't come back with nonsense that the US is chronic liars too.

Eff,

I did answer it.

My answer was, "I don't know if I would say for sure"

That is my actual answer. I don't personally have enough information.

On the surface I have said over and over dealing with Iran is evitable.

And my concern is no other president any time soon will have the nerve to act.

When is the "right" time?

There's no answer that's adequate for some people.

Truth,

"Bill was America in the right to attack Iran"

I wouldn't word your question with "right to attack".

I would say was anything the US did to Iran "justified"?

It would depend on what you're talking about.

Dropping the bunker busters? Are you comfortable with Iran getting nuclear weapons?

It's all so subjective and based on knowledge the administration is aware of that we aren't.

I can guess there is nothing you would agree was justified so I don't know why you're really wanting me to answer it.

Zed,

I'm on America's side, not Trump's side.

Six months ago, Iran was still a dangerous country and a problem that eventually had to be dealt with.

We really don't know yet where all of this is headed.

As fellow Americans, we should be hoping this ends well for America, regardless of what we think of Trump.

Zed,

"The Strait was fine six months ago, BILL."

Yeah, I know.

But Iran has since put itself in the position of threatening a waterway the entire world depends on.

That makes it a global problem.

Mad,

"Do you like Trump, Bill?"

That's immaterial.

Something has to be done about the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump is attempting to force the Iranian regime into an agreement without destroying Iran in the process.

I wish him luck.

Iran's government is deeply tied to a religious ideology that teaches its leaders they are defending God's cause and that, ultimately, God will vindicate them against their enemies.

That's why I think they may be willing to go down with the ship rather than ever back down.

In for a penny, in for a pound.

Eff,

Property qualifications existed. Slavery existed. Senators were originally elected by state legislatures. Colonists resisted British taxes and restrictions on western expansion.

Those are facts.

"America was founded by tax cheats," "slavery was the true basis of America," and all the talk about ------, -------- and MAGA are your interpretation of those facts.

You don't get to attach your interpretation to a historical fact and then declare the whole thing historically accurate.

Alex,

"You voted to employ him. He's a servant."

America is a republic.

I voted to put him in office and in charge of the executive branch.

I didn't hire him to be a servant.

Dan,

Thats all I have to now.

Laura,

"He is our employee"

No...he is not.

Alex,

Why does Trump need to sell the war?

We tell the president what to do?

Dan,

That's it.

Dan

States That Deserve More Scrutiny
Alphabetical order.

Arizona " R
California " D
Colorado " D
Hawaii " D
Nevada " R
Oregon " D
Pennsylvania " R
Utah " R
Vermont " D
Washington " D

Clown,

You don't know.

He's the President for crying out loud.

You don't know s***.

Don't kid yourself.

You're nobody.

Truth,

"What is the US' strategic goal"

As if you would know or Trump would reveal his true objectives.

Trump knows a hell of a lot more than we're told.

Truth,

"The US and Israel hit Iran with everything they could."

Even without nuclear, the US could have crippled Iran with shear fire power.

One,

"Avoiding health codes, OSHA and taxes ...
Wonderful example."

Actually, he is a pretty good example.

He figured out how to sell a product without taking on all the overhead of a conventional restaurant.

Times are changing. People are going to find cheaper and simpler ways to make a living, and government shouldn't make every little operation carry the same regulatory burden as a full-scale business.

If he's actually creating a health or safety hazard, deal with the hazard.

Otherwise, leave the guy alone and let him sell his pizzas.

Pump,

Vietnam was a strategic loss because the US ultimately failed to achieve its objective after years of fighting.

The lesson from Vietnam isn't to back out.

It's not to let this turn into another years-long war with no clear end.

Define the objective. Do what it takes to achieve it.

Get 'er done.

So does your Vietnam analogy mean you want Trump to finish this?

From the article:

"It has gone head-to-head with the superpower and Israel, withstood a pounding from their most advanced weapons."

Iran has not gone "head-to-head" with the US. The US has the military capability to level Iran if it chose to fully unleash it.

Instead, the US has deliberately restrained itself, repeatedly limiting its military response while leaving the door open for Iran to negotiate in earnest.

Whoever wrote this is repeating Tehran's spin.

Snoofy,

"do you think the suspect ought to answer"

No.

He should keep his mouth shut and not let the cops get all friendly, telling you that talking will make you look good.

People want to be liked, and most people just can't stand silence.

So they chatter.

If you find yourself arrested, stay quiet and ask for a lawyer.

You'll have to say it over and over.

They won't give up easy.

Dan,

You're trying hard.

Dan,

"I said I'd answer immediately after you did, and I will. Why are you lying, Bill?"

Something weird I've noticed more and more over the last several years.

People seem to think they're entitled to ask someone a question and that the other person is somehow obligated to answer it.

It's been a gradual thing.

Businesses collecting more and more information from their customers.

Political campaigns collecting more and more information about voters.

Now buying and selling information about everyone is big money.

I know who started it.

Radio Shack.

Back in my teens I went in one day, made a cash purchase, and they asked me for my phone number.

I saw the writing on the wall.

Dan, this is making my point.

We've been manipulated so much that people have started feeling entitled to ask others for information and expect them to feel obligated to provide it. And worse, people have actually started buying into it like little sheep.

No. I don't feel obligated.

For the record, I never brought political parties into this thread, and I'm not going to start now.

Dan,

Save your energy trying to provoke me.

I wrote enough on this thread.

Did you read my classroom analogy?