It would be nice if the United States would ban public smoking. I quit nearly 5 months ago and it's been hard to maintain not smoking when so many people are blowing it in your face in public.  View

Haiti most likely didn't have an extremely accessible way to get in before the earthquake. From what I have heard, the United States is doing what it can. I'm sure there are ways to make the island easier to get into but it takes time to build those routes.  View

I think it's important to note the difference between how China uses its money versus how the United States uses its money. If China uses its money to strengthen the country, then it's potentially more stable than if China used credit just to buy material goods.  View

I'm not sure what exactly putting Nigeria on the United States' terror list does other than call them out for the action of a few. I feel we should be able to protect ourselves from everyone instead of making a list of "threats".  View

"...such as the Empire State Building in Manhattan"?! located on the Atlantic coast and with access to the resource-rich interior of the United States (therefore situated between the Old and New worlds), New York would have attracted industry without that building. architects in Chicago invented the skyscraper, proving it takes more than a few tall buildings to establish a city as a world financial crossroads.  View

CCTV's invocation of the "Western countries" which retain capital punishment shows real political savvy...deflecting criticism of their country to those Western countries allied with the United Kingdom that also execute criminals (read: the United States). CCTV frames the issue such that it becomes less about executing a UK national believed mentally unstable (because China can't win that argument: there should have been more cooperation between the two governments) and more about the concepts of capital punishment and human rights. the United States must respond, either to defend the practice and agree with China that these concepts can coexist (causing a rift between the UK and US) or, the more politically viable, specifying that the United States executes its own citizens the vast majority of the time (which doesn't sound good...but the United States will make this case). still, CCTV creates pressure on the United States to side with China and/or review its policies so the West can present a unified front on the issue.  View

I think it is interesting that so many Israeli's are in favor of this deal, it is hard to imagine the same thing happening in any other country. Any action movie will tell you "the United States does not negotiate with terrorists" it is hard to fathom that so many in Israel would give up that many prisoners for one man.  View

The blame for this resides with the Obama administration. We ARE in a War on Terror, and Obama's early decision to challenge that, plus his repeated leadership mistakes on how to manage that war, has changed the rules and the culture in the agencies charged with protecting us. The result has been a significant weakening of our defense against terrorist acts on the United States.President Obama and the Democratic leaders continue to go on ad nauseam about how they "inherited" all of their problems from the previous administration. Well, one thing that they really did inherit was a proven effective homeland security operation, which protected us from attack on the U.S. since 9/11. But since taking office, the Obama Administration has repeatedly taken actions to weaken those defenses. If one of the enemy combatants, such as the Nigerian, are successful, it will only be because of those policy changes.  View

One step closer to being allowed to pursue happiness in another state. Let's hope this goes through! Love, no matter how it is expressed, is only taboo in the eyes of those who misunderstand it. Corruption is now inscribed into the evolution of the United States but what is more corrupt than minimizing American citizens to second-class citizenship? Regardless of religious affiliation or sexual orientation, all Americans deserve the right to legally commit their lives to whoever they please.  View

To the person who claimed they didn't consent to be taxed for the benefit of the poor, yes you did. You agreed to the terms of the social contract of the united states the very first time you voted. You agreed to abide by the rules and restrictions imposed upon you by the elected representatives of the populace. In return for this infringement of absolute freedom, you receive certain benefits. First among those is the right to be protected from foreign invasion or insurrection by the military of the U.S. Second, you recieve service which you use every day. Running water, electrical grids and of course roads and highways are all part of the infrastructure which you enjoy in return for the stricture of governance. Of course you will say that the electrical system is private, and in specific you would be correct, but remember it took those companies using roads to build those line grids. No roads, no grid. So, when you say you shouldn't have to pay for those who have been less fortunate than you to recieve healthcare or any other service, remember you signed the contract when you first turned on you're tap.  View