[Kip Lange]

hosepipe -- I know your reservations about Powell. I'm just not of the opinion that he's the same caliber person as a McCain. I *am* with you on Alan Keyes being a more positive role model in that he can take a more controversial stand, but the fact that he's not in public office MEANS he can take a more controversial stand -- and it's also why he doesn't win Presidential nominations. Now, I'm not arguing the fairness of this, I'm just saying, it's all a side argument to the main point: Belafonte is a hateful race-baiter attacking someone who is far more accomplished than him; said person (Powell) is *trying* to do good (whether you agree with him on policy or not, I think you can agree that he's not "evil" or anything) on a GLOBAL level...

The republicans have some very good people like Ann Colter but "the people" want oligarchy evidently.. Since you like Powell you're probably one of them...

First, "Coulter", and she could never win a political office now after her let's-beat-all-the-muslims rant. :-) Beware, falling into the pit of dangerous ideology at the cost of realistic compromises (RETAKING THE SENATE!) is the fool's gold of liberals, not conservatives...

Powell has been off admin. message, back on admin message, off again, on again, but always ends up ON message and...watch what people DO, not what they say. As Sec. of Sate he will NECESSARILY look like a RINO. I am not arguing he is not too moderate for my, or your taste; but RINO suggests a wilful masking of one's political agenda in order to covertly advance the RAT agenda -- at the end of the day, Colin Powell realizes the importance of presenting a united front from the administration (this is what Belafonte refers to as his "house slave" tendency). Powell would not tip the Senate to the Dems, Powell would not push campaign finance reform on me, Powell is NOT John McCain or Jim Jeffords.

I resent your suggestion that I believe in an "oligarchy". I truly do. I disagree with Colin Powell on certain issues but I think he has a right to dissent on those issues and it's HEALTHY to debate some things, especially in the foreign policy arena, as long as you end up siding with your Commander in Chief when push comes to shove. *You're* the one sounding like a liberal DemonRAT -- intolerant of dissent, of any other opinion -- that's the RAT line, not ours, man, *not* ours.

--KL

[hosepipe]

"I resent your suggestion that I believe in an "oligarchy". I truly do"
Maybe I emot'ed out on that one....sorry...(you'll live)

"*You're* the one sounding like a liberal DemonRAT -- intolerant of dissent, of any other opinion -- that's the RAT line, not ours, man, *not* ours"
Colin Powell is'nt dissent'ing... he's "man pleasing"... he a man please'er... a wuss.... unless hes actually a stealth demo... a ringer.... hard to tell... hes very good at NOT being straight forward. "candid".... Hes a scary unopened box thats "ticking"..... does the fact the RINOS "love" him speak anything to you... as to being tolerant of dissent, you must've missed my point, most of the Republican Party, at least many are RINOS already, dissent is what I WANT...

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It's not easy to take the democrat out of the party BUT it is damned near impossible to take the democrat out of the democrat. All you end up with is a RINO{Republican in NAME only}- Himself