@bucket:
Where is the accountability in the Iraq war? Your short term memory is classic. Yep, not one ....not one of the dozen or more "Benghazis" in Bushies terms have been investigated. Along with all the constant lying to us about everything.

So, deal with this situation being a terrible situation that ended badly. Amb Stevens felt somewhat comfortable there as he went out constantly alone around the neighborhood. Could these outposts have more security .....YES. But the GOP keeps harping on cutting spending for gvt needs.....well here ya go the cutting ultimately cost lives. And do not give me that crap about the sequester happening after.....this cut of spending happened before.

Agree totally with most of this article. Not sure if we could make them all reapply with a better set of policies that better define nonprofit or tax exempt status. I know this is a tough one and there are differing ideas on what those policies are. it seems like there is misinterpretation on what constitutes social support and politics and really no one should be tax exempt if politics is really their game.

Again, we REQUIRE back round checks for daycare workers, teachers, and now Issa wants to register people who immigrate here....meaning follow US citizens. Common sense back ground checks for buying guns will NOT increase violence. It may keep just one person alive and that is worth this minor effort.

The real problem was security at the OUTPOST. This was not an embassy but an outpost and the security increases asked for were REFUSED by the GOP. In the end Ambassador Stevens died because of the republicans refusal to increase security and staff for overseas mission...the violence was triggered by a few events...whether it be the video, unrest in many other areas spilling over to there and an act of terrorism by a gang of extremists...it makes no difference it still came down to lack of security...which Amb Stevens was responsible for. Yes, he was the one to lock down the place instead he felt fine there and even went running the area that morning.

Talking on the Sunday shows is a joke all the way around....both sides constantly SPIN there tales to their liking. BTW The emails were released yesterday and there is no smoking gun....ha. The GOP are hell bent on pinning something on Hilary for when she runs for prez....keep on this delusional tirade and risk becoming more and more irrelevant.

@cyou299:
I could not agree more with what you wrote. Ignore all the crap GWBUSH put us thru and bring in the drama when the Dems are involved. They are prepping this cuz Hilary will run for 2016 and they are digging up anything and will spin anything and lie their way thru it all.

@GroversMill:
Then why require a background check on our teachers and daycare providers. And why the pee test for food stamps.....privacy issues are for every one but seem reasonable when thought through. But then again I do not think you think.

We REQUIRE background checks for our para-professionals, daycare workers teachers (administrators), etc.
We REQUIRE licenses for hair salon professionals, doctors, nurses, pharmacists because they are using dangerous instruments and their licenses are annually.
We REQUIRE sporting licenses annually for hunting.

Seems like common sense that we require background checks for people buying guns. And how about getting some revenue from them for registering them....boy novel ideas. Hmmmm....hopefully not too much hate mail for this ... How about sending along some other ways we REQUIRE a check or licenses for registering something....seems like the gun lobby has put themselves above the law ... In my opinion.

"Being gay is irrelevant." Hmmmm seems like the repubs have been calling homosexuality sinful, awful, the desecration of the family, it threatens our "real" marriages, it leads to beastiality, our kids will suffer tremendously knowing a gay person or gosh forbid touching one......give me a break and get over it.

It should not be as tough an issue to sell as it sounds. Mimic how we sell alcohol or cigarettes....the taxes and rules on them could be a start at bringing this out. Long overdue in my opinion....I have never seen or heard of a case of someone being violent on pot...other drugs and alcohol yes but not pot.

Oh dear god just the kind of folks we want in our schools walking the halls ....please no.

This should not surprise anyone.....each party relooks at their strategies and adjusts for opportunities after each election. The current GOP has been gerrymandering for years in order to control votes.

@Curls:
Terrorism vs private business stupidity. Yep, the plant in Texas while horrific was an act of CORPORATE lying and stupidity while Boston had people on the loose with bombs.....what part of that does not resonate with you on how much media should be where. And Texas should get zero money from taxpayers....all of it should come from the business insurance and profits.

Interesting how the GOP keep touting that the rich need more tax breaks because they create jobs and took the risks by investing. Well they certainly have been paid back their investment many times over and now sould be fairer with the RECORD profits they accumulate(d) and tax loopholes they use to avoid paying US taxes and be much much fairer to the employees that get and make them their profits. Instead all we hear is the whining about them. It getting more money for themselves.......enough already with this tired arguments about the rich have it so bad.

@ProudSoutherner:
Get over it.....do you take vacations with your kids ....well stop that it is way too good for you. Also look at how much your beloved Bushie was away on vacation during his so called horrid presidency.....just get over it and grow up.

I was young when the ATL Olympics happened but I do remember a classy reaction to it. You did a fine job of overcoming a tragedy and many people remember it more positively than you happen to. As tragic as it was and the response may have been more lame than we know how to do it now the games went on. Thx for your contribution to that.

@ProudSoutherner:
You can be a "proud" southerner and still respect people of all colors. Not all black people need assistance there are numerous callous white people taking assistance.

@fixit:

"..the half-witted, dope-smoking, career-unemployables thought about this issue. Now we know."

You know nothing ... Name calling and assuming things about another person is more half-witted than you even know...I have many degrees, never been unemployed and contribute to service many times over, but I'll only admit to the dope smoking in my youth.

I do have to comment that all you haters are basically the same ....call names and never talk about the actual issues....I am right in everything I said.

@fixit:
Delusional you are.... What about the 2 UNFUNDED wars he started and the prescription debacle or and the stupid tax breaks for the wealthy that brought the nation to its financial knees... Come out of your hole and see reality in that GWBUSH was awful in his economic policies.

Sad and very shameful of every rep that voted this down. Why? Seems that even to derail one person from doing harm will help....yep one life could be saved by those rules or one dollar could be saved by putting in place the regulation....isn't that the exact comments the GOP uses to push their agenda. Hmmm....seems like pee testing the poor for them to buy groceries is a stupid waste of money but asking a person to full out a form to buy a gun isn't needed.....

This should have been a no-brainier but then again the GOP never had a brain to begin with. Bet I get tons of hate mail on this but it irks me when they put the second amendment on a pedestal when it should not be....sorry folks I do not at all believe that backgrnd checks will stop all violence or even stop those that are gun enthusiasts from getting what they want....so what is your real problem with this.

Good rants.....
Why is Hitchens so concerned about 'regulating' slow drivers and not concerned about distcted drivers, speeders, and other more pressing problems on our roads....so are the GOP now for regulations? If so get behind some better ones than slow drivers.

Good. Now just stop the TeaPartiers and religious extremists from destroying this country.

Seems like the old idea of austerity is needed....that means any monies for sports, the arts and other extra curricular things is NOT funded. This is what was done when I was young and it helped...not ideally but it did help get thru the rough times. Sports is not a necessary function of education....let the private companies fund it ...hmmm logic and common sense here but no people will hate respond me trying to tell me sports are necessary....our obsession with football over education is obscene.

@Used2baFreeCountry:
If people would just respect other people and their views then things could settle down somewhat. You should not care that I may be Muslim or atheist or Catholic or a woman or gay or Mexican or Asian...... I should have rights to my privacy, my beliefs, my body. But no the TeaPartiers and religious extremists and now the GOP are trying to minimize people and their rights....so do not tell me that Obama could bring us to the road of destruction...that distinction is squarely on the GOP/TeaP.

I have the utmost respect for ALL vets---combat or no combat. Some folks with disabilities takes things to extremes or feel they can do no wrong or they trump all. Special dogs should be allowed most all places. If there is any situation that a business owner deems unsafe and warns the customer then something workable should have been done by both parties....like BOTH dogs be put away for the duration or the customer takes his business elsewhere.

Seems like employers are pretty selfish in not working to improve their employees benefits. While employer healthcare is not optimal it is what the GOP agreed to. Single payer options may be a better option but obstructionist GOPers wouldn't consider it.
I have first hand experience with insurance for independent people WORKING for me. I pay a good sum for premiums, and deductible but also have incurred $100K in medical bills recently...most paid for because my policy is working for me.....just what it is designed to do.
I say stop the whining and fix the problems that can be fixed without throwing it out.