Dan Deren - whereIstand.com

Joe Biden won the 2008 vice presidential debate. (2008 Presidential Debates)

author added — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 06:03:55 GMT

It wasn't even close... God help us if, somehow, the fish brain American people elect McCain and that dodo bird... Yikes!!!

Bush Administration policies have had a negative impact on the economy. (U.S. Economy)

author added — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 04:37:05 GMT

Undisputedly and incalculably negative, negative, negative. Had they found another village idiot - there's a village in Texas that I KNOW is missing one - he/she could have done no worse.

The Treasury Department should block severance packages for Fannie and Freddie corporate executives. (Bond Market)

author added — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 06:23:35 GMT

Absolutely. These bozos take this company into the tank and they should be 'rewarded' for this malfeasance, non-feasance and general incompetence? 'Useless' is bad enough - these clowns were worse than useless - positively destructive. No way, Jose!

The federal minimum wage should be $11 an hour or higher. (Labor )

author added — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 04:48:21 GMT

I checked $11/hr. as a "default." I think that the issue is more "complicated" than that - i.e, than the choice of one number. Many people - and perhaps business types - in what I would call a "knee-jerk" reaction will say that $11/hr as a minimum wage is too high. Some will say that any "minimum" wage is "too high" or too much. I like the idea of a "living wage" more and this can/will/might vary, perhaps regionally and depending on other circumstances. Here's the thing, in my humble opinion, as the text messagers say: business folks figure 2000 hrs/full year of work. That translates to "munificent" [the sarcasm is ALL MINE]. My question is: how to you live on $22k/year? What do you do for health care/health insurance? Further, is this the kind of country we are (for sure, "yes'' is the reality). Is the the kind of country we want to be (for sure, "NOT" is my answer). As always, opinions, like mileage, may vary...

Supply and demand is having the greatest impact on rising oil prices. (Commodity Markets)

author added — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:54:48 GMT

Actually, it seems to me that there are at least a couple of reasons. The weak dollar doesn't help, first of all. Demand from China, India and other emerging economies has a lot to do with it - plus, these countries subsidize domestic users and thereby insulate their consumers and companies from the real price of the oil commodity. We may further perhaps have reached the point of what those who study oil call "peak supply." Speculators merely make the reality more visible and more quickly apparent - that is, they amplify the effects of the reality there is already there.

KBR should be held responsible for the electrocution deaths of American soldiers. (Invasion and occupation of Iraq)

author added — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:46:30 GMT

ABSOLUTELY, without doubt, forthwith and without delay because time is of the essence. This goes beyond GROSS NEGLIGENCE and, to my mind, is CRIMINAL behavior that needs immediate INDIVIDUAL, not corporate, prosecution. How could it be otherwise? Maybe they should just have the CEO of KBR in addition to every manager down the line to, as well as, the killers who wired these showers, take a couple of showers in one of these improperly grounded facilities in Iraq - that, to me, sounds like what I would call "rough justice" and clearly deserved. Time for accountability on this one.

President Clinton should not have been impeached. (Investigation & Controversy)

author added — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 06:26:49 GMT

Nope. He shouldn't have lied to the American people either; but, that's stupidity. I liked the guy and I think that he could have been elected to a third term - were that possible. I'm disappointed in him, however, for his affair - and, while it's her choice, I applaud Hillary for staying with him. Unfortunately for her, he's was a bit of baggage in her campaign for President. By the standards that the Republic Party dominated Congress used, this President should have been impeached long ago. Of course, then look who we would have had for President .

The U.S. military should not award the Purple Heart to soldiers suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). (Military)

author added — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 14:51:01 GMT

I guess I'm not sure. From my limited reading of the requirements for the Purple Heart, it means that you have been wounded in combat. So, if you were supporting combat troops and you were killed or injured in an auto accident while supplying troops, you would not receive a Purple Heart. Some people are more susceptible to PTSD than others, although being in a war zone is a prime indicator of one's likelihood of "getting" it. I think, like any other wound or other grievous condition suffered or exacerbated as a result of war-fighting or war service, that one should get the best medical care in the world for life - something that we seem to be woefully lacking in, although "perhaps" (I am not certain of this) veterans' medical care quality is increasing as scrutiny is focused on this critical issue.

The U.S. should not build more nuclear power plants. (Energy Policy)

author added — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:27:22 GMT

What do we do with the nuclear waste that hangs around for the next 1/4 of a million years? We already have a huge nuclear reactor - it's 93 million miles away - that's close enough - it has its good and bad points, but let's make use of it.

The Guantanamo detention center should be closed. (Detainees held by U.S. government as part of War on Terror)

author added — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 04:26:18 GMT

There is no doubt in my mind that it will be - the question is how and when...