Free Republic

That's what I used to think. But I'm not so sure anymore. Don't you think that GWB is a RINO?

If not, since when has doubling the budget of the Department of Education been a "Republican" position? Remember that Reagan tried to ELIMINATE the entire department.

Maybe I'm being overly sensitive, but the tone of the article as I read it was that anyone who worried about NAFTA superhighways was a nutjob conspiracy theorist.

Did you not get that same tone from the article?

Perhaps they believe that by granting amnesty they could ingratiate themselves to the Hispanic vote. (I don't think it would work, but maybe they do.)

As far as the Republican base goes, the Republican party thinks they have a lock on them. What is the base supposed to do, vote for the Dems? As long as there is no viable alternative, the party can just about ignore what the base wants.

Westlander,

I’m not opposed to Hunter — and maybe I’m misinterpreting what you meant.

But I’m still wondering how this article helps Hunter, when it notes that Hunter himself signed “a resolution expressing opposition to a NAFTA superhighway.”

Since I’m not the one who brought up the specter of Martian body-snatching, I’m happy to leave the issue to you.

You may be right, but I still don’t see how this article is supossed to “help” Hunter.

Those who want to label a person a kook for opposing a NAFTA superhighway have to recognize the fact that there are a number of Republicans who will be smeared with that brush.

Sounds like a good project for you to head. Good luck with it.

If you’re concerned about Martian body-snatching, please contact your Congressman immediately.

How is this news supposed to help Hunter?

The article states that Hunter (among 42 others in the House) signed “a resolution expressing opposition to a NAFTA superhighway.”

In the effort to smear Paul, they’ve just smeared your guy, too.

From the article:

“...Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. (R-Va.) had introduced a resolution expressing opposition to a NAFTA superhighway. It is signed by 42 congressmen, including Paul and two of his Republican presidential rivals, Reps. Duncan Hunter of California and Tom Tancredo of Colorado.”

So I guess that there are 41 other kooks in the House, including two other Republicans that were up there on the stage during the debate.

Thank you for all your thoughtful, logical posts here. It’s amazing to me how many people here claim that Ron Paul supporters are obnoxious (or whatever). If these boards are any indication, the exact opposite is true.

“If you analyze it I believe the very heart and soul of conservatism is libertarianism”

Thanks for posting that quote from Reagan. I hope that the TRUE Republicans here will realize that the party has lost it’s way.

I'd agree with you that there are *way* too many people in this country looking to use the court system as a way to cash in.

However, I think it's also human nature to (over)react to problems once they've been identified. It's entirely possible that many pet owners are now simply hyperalert to any problems that their pets may exhibit.

Keep in mind, too, that when people are scared, they do stupid things. I can cut some slack for the honest people who are just scared for their pets --- but I have no tolerance whatsoever for people who would knowingly attempt to bilk someone out of money through a bogus lawsuit.

Gondring,

I suggest you watch the referenced video. It will explain why your *interpretation* of the chart you posted is dead wrong.

Seriously, watch the video. It covers that very same chart.

Personally, I have mixed feelings about cosmetic surgery. I'm not sure if I would do it. However, the surgery your girlfriend underwent was her decision to make; it is absolutely none of my business.

I am a defender of individual freedom above all else.

It is ironic that on a website such as Free Republic -- where so many others also defend individual freedom --- that there seems to be an intellectual inconsistency when it comes to this topic.

Were you her boyfriend when she got the surgery done?

Thanks for catching my mistake.

Isn't 14/2,800 equal to 500/100,000? So the rate of suicide in this Danish group of women was 500 per 100,000.

What number are you using for the rate of suicide among American women? Two per 100,000?

Are you assuming "Holicheese" talked his gf into getting implants?

Maybe she got them before he even entered the picture.

Don't you think there has to be something SERIOUSLY wrong with this study? If the numbers presented are accurate, these Danish women committed suicide at a rate of 6000X that of the general US population.

I think you're right in your opinion that breast augmentation occurs in a much broader group than those working in "sex industries" alone. Whether or not these sex workers could disproportionately affect the "crude rate" needs to be further investigated.

However, I think something is wrong with the posted study.

I found on the net that the "crude rate" of suicide in the US is about 12 people per 100,000. I guess this includes everybody from infants to seniors.

The article posted at the top of this thread states that the "study included nearly 2,800 Danish women who underwent cosmetic breast-implant surgery...as well as more than 7,000 women who had breast reduction and 1,700-plus women who had other types of cosmetic surgery..."

"...Overall, McLaughlin and his colleagues found, 14 women with breast implants committed suicide...."

So, they are saying that of the 2800 Danish women who had breast implants, 14 of them committed suicide. This extrapolates to a rate of 500 (!) suicides per 100,000. This is 6000X the "crude rate" of the United States!

I think something is rotten in Denmark....

At any rate, this incredibly high rate needs to be investigated before the "study" is accepted as representative of general trends.