Congressman Baird supports president’s farm relief package

More govt spending?!

There is no difference between you and any Democrat... print more money, give away more money.

You have your welfare for votes, they have theirs.

None of this actually fixes the REAL problems... but it might (hopefully not) keep you in Washington for another few years.

You are a party hack with no concept of the Constitution or the ideals upon which this country was founded.

But be sure to wave your flag, tout your service, and tell everyone how you are gonna bring home some pork for them!

So, DPR, what would you do different that would make a difference? I would rather read your ideas on how to make things better than to read your constant tirades against others.

Don Antonio - since you asked...

I would start by reducing spending instead of increasing it.

Slash Social services budgets: food stamps, medicaid, AFDC, etc.

End farmer welfare such as various crop subsidies. Ethanol and high fructose corn syrup are really bad things that the gov't incentivizes.

End manipulated market pricing.

Follow the Constitution: There are very few things that the gov't is actually supposed to do (Foreign relations, post office, currency control, defend against invasion, be the arbiter between the individual states when there is a disagreement, and generally make for smooth cooperation between the states.)

End the Department of Education, and many other Fedgov agencies. Streamline others. Abolish the IRS.

Fight to repeal the 17th Amendment.

These things will get us out of the starting gate.

There is lots more that could and should be done.

If you slashed social services what would you do with the extra money?

Reduce spending--what would you do with the extra money?

End farmer welfare--what would you do with the extra money?

End the department of education--what would you replace it with instead?

To repeal the 17th Amendment--what would you replace it with instead?

Abolish the IRS and replace with what instead?

I think you are living a pipe dream. Anyone can state what you wrote but, where would you get the leadership to do all of these things???

Please enlighten us mere mortals on your plan for better things for Americans.

Don Antonio - seriously? Even you can't be that stupid...

The current US debt is $23 Trillion and growing fast. Now what could we do with all that money we are saving? Maybe pay down the debt? Debt is slavery.

Why does the Department of Education need to be replaced with anything? Why not let the 50 states give us 50 experiments in how to run an educational system? The cream will rise to the top...without Fedgov intervention.

And why replace the IRS? National Sales Tax collected at the state level and forwarded to the Federal gov't would be more than enough, along with tariffs, to pay for the things that the gov't is actually supposed to do while not providing money for things that they are not supposed to be involved in.

Why does the 17th Amendment need replaced? Do you even know/understand what the 17th Amendment is?

The very people that run for Congress and claim a desire to REPRESENT us (a la Mr. Baird) as a matter of civil service & civic duty SHOULD be advocating ALL of these things (and more)...but they don't b/c they are self-serving party hacks (Republicans and Democrats).

Perhaps you should stop trying to be clever (b/c you ain't) and instead try reading about and understanding how it is our gov't is supposed to run.

How about we all vote for dreadpirateroberts who always has the correct answer for everything. Expect to see him on the ballot next year to run against Mr. Baird, or better yet to run our country.

Nit - I appreciate the support (a backhanded compliment is still a compliment, no?), but as I told someone else last time this thought came up... I am not able to do so right now. Too busy with other things.

Perhaps one day.

In the meantime, I will continue to try to educate people as it seems our public school systems (and even universities) have failed in teaching civics class.

Instead of automatically taking a contrary position, perhaps it would do you well to actually read what I type and even consider it in the light of the US Constitution.

DPR--how can you be too busy to help your fellow Americans? I think you are too busy being a keyboard know-it-all, probably living in your parents basement. I

Your main problem is that you are a legend in your own mind. In fact, you need a back-handed more than you realize.

DPR--Here is a Civic lesson just for you:

Every man in the United States of America owes the country 9 years of military service. It can be a combination of active duty and reserve or national guard service.

Even though it is a voluntary military now a man (including you) still owes the country 9 years.

Once a man completes 9 years he becomes a non-obligor.

Have you served your country yet? If so, then great but, if not why didn't you serve your country?

I served in the U.S. Army National Guard from 1979 to 1985. I then did a lateral transfer to active Army from 1985 to 1988 with one tour of duty in South Korea.

I saw real life in that country which made me more appreciative of America. I earned a Honorable Discharge.

So, Mr. Civics of Greencastle, what have you accomplished in your life?

DA - I am helping my fellow Americans by my posts, among other things. I am just too busy to run for Congress.

And it seems that I live in your head rather than in my parent's basement.

But now the pivot, eh? LOL... predictable.

I will indulge you for just a moment.

What you offer is not a civics lesson, as compulsory service is not a thing in the US unless referring to the idea of the militia which would encompass much more than 9 years.

In fact, this idea of 9 years of service seems to come from your own experience of 9 years. So please tell me again how egotistical I am while you declare your own experience to be the standard to which everyone is held. LOL.

As for what I have done for my country or accomplished in my life - it is irrelevant to this conversation and quite frankly none of your business. I was raised to be humble and have no need to play childish comparison games. Apparently you feel a need to be recognized for your deeds, so be it. Take your bow.

And to preemptively address your upcoming snit about my humility - what I post are ideas, thoughts, questions, and opinions. I rarely, if ever, tout my accomplishments or my success. My deeds (grand or otherwise) are rarely discussed. In the grand scheme, I am not important. But the ideas of freedom and liberty and limited government are. They are a trust passed on by those who did what was necessary that we may live free. Some are known. Many are not. They didn't do it for recognition. They did it because that is what they believed in. Passing on that trust to my children and anyone else who will carry it is one of the most important things I will ever do in my life. And in two generations after my passing I will be all but forgotten but the ideas I share as part of that trust will live on.

My grandfather (who passed many years ago) served in the US Army during WWII. It was not until after his passing, at his funeral, that most of the family - including me - found out that he was awarded the Silver Star for ?? as part of the campaign to liberate the Philippines from the Japanese. He never discussed it. It wasn't something that he needed or wanted recognition for. That is humility.

As for your appreciation of America, I can only gauge it by what you post... and it seems that though you may appreciate the capitalistic society in which we live and our more libertine culture (especially in comparison to other places in the world) , you seem to have little appreciation for the ideals upon which this country was actually founded. That's just my opinion/observation.

Now, if you would like to get back to the actual topic at hand and counter any of the points I made in my previous post - preferably with something intelligent or nearly so and not ludicrousness or personal attacks - then please share your thoughts.

You are truly a legend in your own mind.

More personal attacks...LoL.

At least mix it up a little with something of relevance.

Maybe just a legitimate question, like "why should we repeal the 17th Amendment?" in effort to see what it is I am talking about.

But you don't counter my ideas with anything substantive... you only say they are "pipe dreams" and try to shut me down in a personal way.

You might consider counseling. You have some very interesting pathologies.

LOL - Why don't you tell us how you really feel?

I give you yet another chance to actually add something of relevance to the conversation and this is what you contribute?

I hope you run your business better than this... b/c as a person and as a participant in an exchange of ideas you are failing pretty miserably.

Again, I would suggest counseling.

I take great pleasure in knowing that someday, someone, some where is going to give you an attitude adjustment that you richly deserve.

Because you are a bully and all bullies need attitude adjustments.

I am a bully? LOL.

You actually posted the words "why don't you kill yourself?"...and you have the audacity to call me a bully?

I noticed that post is gone. Did you self-report? A bit of guilt/shame? Or maybe it was the moderator of this site so appalled by your actions that they took it upon themselves to remove such vulgar language?

Personally I wish they would've left it up.

But you might want to look in a mirror for that bully...

All I ask is that you contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.

You are the one with the incessant personal attacks and the refusal to stay on topic.

I was even nice enough to grant you your pivot and respond to it.

Although I did attempt to bring it back around to the original conversation.

Maybe that is what has you so bothered... you can't hold the discussion and it makes you angry.

I give up.

Don't give up Don, you can do it!! You two make for very interesting reading!

No thanks. Don't need the stress.