Artful Dodger: Let's hope so. We are doomed, if not.

look I want HIM to do good.. but do it already.. no excuses

opposing drilling for oil and forcing a health care package on the country when there is a recession or borderline depression on hand .....I don't think...I mean my economic skills ain't be as good as his or Rahm's.. it dont be seeming such a good idea

anyways...I thought it was the economy ...stupid..(not meaning anyone here)..Obama has really disappointed me with that... I know.. its a global world, but you can't blame bush anymore.. if so then why run for pres. in the first place? and please DONT SAY HE DIDN'T KNOW how bad it was, AND WASN'T INFORMED.. HE WAS A FREAKING SENATOR,and his party was the majority in the senate also.

Tuesday: Oh come on. According to Super Obama, it would be completely closed by now. Of course he is flip flopping. He is incompetent, face it.

Tuesday: His flip flopping on the subject (obama) just shows how he doesn't have a clue what he's doing.

rod03801: ... And what about those killed by those who use the abuse and other crap that has happened there as part of their recruitment drive for more to join the terrorist cause?

(V): Sorry, I honestly don't have much sympathy (if any) for the people that are there.

rod03801: A mess?? G bay was Bush's mess. Bush made it, Obama tried to clean it up. He can't due to the problem being bigger than I gather he would of known of until he was President.

... I don't think those running for President get told much details of TOP SECRET files before they get into power.

.. Do they?

But don't get me wrong. Bush was a bumbling fool too.

(V): And? So? Doesn't change the fact that he is inept and just making a mess of things.

rod03801: They voted for him as people had gotten tired of the somewhat 'experienced' George Bush.

... I think McCain being so old and Palin being so .. ... .. utterly unsuitable didn't do the Republican camp any good.

Artful Dodger: Exactly. "Unrealistic" is an understatement. He is a complete amateur. I can't believe so many people voted for someone so Unqualified. It seems as though he is just stumbling through everything.

I think there are probably some reasons why Guantanamo is not closed yet:

1. Several countries don't want to repatriate the prisoners sitting there. Many of those prisoners have nowhere to go. Nobody wants them in their country.

2. Fear of reincidence is a factor too. There is guarantee that if any of these men end up free again they won't go back to doing what they did before being captured. Now they have even more reason to hate the USA,s ince many of them were imprisoned for years without formal trials or charges.

3. Prisoners disclosing what happened in Guantanamo is a factor too. What we know of interrogations there is only the tip of the iceberg. It is possible that these men are theatening to publicize what happened to them in Guantanamo. They might not be willing to buy their freedom with silence.

I think Obama was unrealistic in thinking he could close Guantanamo without giving thought to what they would do with those prisoners or how they would be legally processed. Am I disappointed with Obama? No, because I knew from the beginning that the US can NEVER close Guantanamo. The only way Guantanmo will close is if the lease runs out and the Cubans ask for their land back. Then the Gulag will have to move elsewhere.

The bay.. such a nightmare mess that even good intent can't clean it up. Maybe it'll be renamed "The Bush" in honour of the President who used a sledge hammer to open an egg.

Artful Dodger: Agreed. As regards Guantánamo, Obama is a total disappointment.

Artful Dodger: I hope someone decent runs. It's SO important to get rid of the anointed one.

Mélusine: I cannot agree totally. It depends on the type of religion taught... I say that because we do have a state religion and yet that state supports sex education at schools. Parents are given the option to 'opt out' for their children regarding that.

... But there again.. It can be said that in the case of Bible belt USA.. the tax man is paying for church endorsed non-education. Maybe they should tax the churches to pay for their guidance!!

Seems the problem as recorded with single mothers is that they are not getting any money of the absent fathers. The men are just not living upto their responsibilities!!

....Sex education looks like the key. But of the States in the USA.... how many will teach it?

Bernice:   LOL

Artful Dodger: WOW.....you can go to the Humane Society for spaying and neutering ....we have to go to a Gen Prac and then a Gyno

We do it in France for students in the last class of the scondary school (children are about 14 - 15 years old). And condoms and contraceptive pills are free for them.
But, I think that, in France, people are less practising with religion than in USA.

Übergeek 바둑이:   I really enjoyed reading your statement on single parenting and sex education. It is very important to teach our youth about sex and what the outcome can mean. I am sorry to learn your father had died when you were young. It sure gives one a different perspective of life.

Artful Dodger:   short and sweet.. LOL

"In the context of a radio program that examines the culture, Huckabee's comments can't be seen as an attack (which is how the Left portrayed it)"

But it is all as it stands a one dimensional argument. Just using money as a means to evaluate how successful parents are at doing a thing that in the end has no bearing on money. But on raising children.

... It's not an attack.. just a very limited look at the whole problem!!

Artful Dodger:

Oh, don't get me wrong. You will notice in my post I never said anything bad about Mr. Huckabee. If anything, he has a valid point. Single parents do have a much harder time making ends meet, as well as issues such as child care while they work, etc. It is also true that Hollywood gives an unrealistic view of parenting. Not everybody is rich and can afford to hire someone to help.

At the same time, V is right. This is not a one-dimensional problem. While money is a central issue, there are also issues such as culture, religion, government support systems (or lack thereof), extended families, legal implications (such as divorce, alimony, women's rights), etc. I think that nobody can pin it down to a single issue.

I don't know if people like Natalie Portman or Angelina Jolie are openly portraying themselves as a role models for other women. People do look up to famous people. It does not necessarily mean that those people represent wider social values.

I think that rather than finger pointing, our famous people and politicians should engage in a more constructive dialogue. If single-parent families are having a harder time raising their children, what can we do for them?

I think that Mr. Huckabee will make another run for the presidency. When that time comes, I am sure in his platform he will touch on the subject and present his own view of a constructive approach to the problem. At least one hopes that from a candidate that one would support when election time comes. Sadly, issues such as this are always lost to bigger issues that get all the media attention. Somehow terrorism, national defense and tax cuts always seem to take precedence over things such as helping those in need have a better life, or finding a better approach to prevent teenage pregnancy and our society's increasing problem of divorce and single-parenthood. Most likely by the next election this issue will not be at the forefront of Mr. Huckabee's mind because issues like dismantling the new health care legislation will probably be more on people's minds. I would not blame or criticize Mr. Huckabee (or any other politician) for that. Politicians do respond to what the public wants to see and hear.