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Virginia Tech Massacre Tribute

Blog The Vote-Presidential Candidates Comment on the Virginia Tech Massacre

As news came in from Virginia Tech University, the Presidential candidates began to release statements concerning the shooting. I feel that gun control will become another hot button campaign issue.

Rudy Giuliani

"On this day of national tragedy, when we lost some of our finest to a senseless act, we stand together as a country to mourn those who lost their lives.

"My thoughts and prayers continue to be with the survivors and the many friends, colleagues and family members of those who perished. May God bless them all."

John McCain

"I am shocked and saddened to hear the news of today's events. This inconceivable tragedy was a horrific act of cruelty that took the lives of so many innocent young people, cutting their lives short and inflicting tremendous pain on all of those who loved them.

"Cindy and I extend our deepest sympathies and prayers to the students, faculty, friends and family of the Virginia Tech community."

John Edwards

We are simply heartbroken by the deaths and injuries suffered at Virginia Tech. We know what an unspeakable, life-changing moment this is for these families and how, in this moment, it is hard to feel anything but overwhelming grief, much less the love and support around you. But the love and support is there. We pray that these families, these students, and the entire Virginia Tech community know that they are being embraced by a nation. There is a Methodist hymn that gave us solace in such a moment as this, and we repeat its final verse here, in hopes it will help these families, as it helped us:

In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing, in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Our dearest wish is that this day could start again, with the promise of these young people alive. Knowing that cannot be, our prayer is for God’s grace and whatever measure of peace can be reached on this terrible day.

Hillary Clinton

"I am shocked and saddened by the horrific tragedy at Virginia Tech. My prayers are with the victims and their families, as well as the students, faculty, and community devastated by these gruesome killings. As a parent, I am filled with sorrow for the mothers and fathers and loved ones struggling with the sudden, unbearable news of a lost son or daughter, friend or family member. This tragedy is still unfolding and I hope as a nation we can come together and keep in our thoughts all those affected as we learn more about the events which took place this morning."

Barack Obama

"Today, we are a grieving and shocked nation. Violence has once again taken too many young people from this world. In Blacksburg, they were daughters. They were sons. They were our nation's new leaders. We mourn thm. We will miss them, and we pray for their families and the injured fighting for their lives."

Mitt Romney

"The entire nation grieves for the victims of this terrible tragedy that took place today on the campus of Virginia Tech. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the entire Virginia Tech community. Our full support is behind the law enforcement officials who are involved with stabilizing the situation and conducting an investigation."

What do you think?

Virginia Tech Shooting

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and families of the Virgina Tech University shooting.

The Politicians said on the floor of the Senate,

"We pray for the students and faculty members and families of Virginia Tech community, and do hope for a speedy recovery of the wounded," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said. "And we pray that America can find the strength, which we will find, for overcome our grief and outrage, as we face yet another tragedy."

"On behalf of this side of the aisle, let me offer my condolences for this unspeakable tragedy to which the majority leader has been referring, and join him in calling for a moment of silence," Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, added.

Democrats Losing Support

Support for the Democratic-controlled Congress has slipped eight points since January when Democrats took control of the House and Senate, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll.

In January, only 31 percent of Americans believed that the Democrats' policies were taking the country in the wrong direction, but in the new poll released Monday, this number has increased to 39 percent.

Clashes over a wartime emergency spending bill and showdown over the dismissal of several U.S. attorneys are just two of the issues Congress and the White House sparred over.

CNN Poll: Presidential races tighten on both sides

Sen. John McCain has slashed Rudy Giuliani's double-digit lead by 10 points, but the GOP picture gets muddier if former Sen. Fred Thompson or former House Speaker Newt Gingrich enters the race, according to a CNN poll gauging the popularity of 2008 presidential hopefuls. CNN.com reports.

Blog The Vote-McCain VMI Speech

POST 300

THIS IS THE 300th POST ON INFORMED STUDENTS!!!

Political Cartoon: Imus v Sharpton

What do you think of the cartoon?

Blog The Vote-Barack Obama Calls for Imus Firing From Radio

Democrat Barack Obama on Wednesday became the first presidential candidate to call for radio host Don Imus to be fired for making racially and sexually charged comments about the Rutgers women's basketball team. Read more here.

CNN Reports: Fred Thompson has Lymphoma

According to a source close to Fred Thompson, Mr. Thompson has a treatable form of lymphoma, says CNN.

This can hurt his hope to run for President in 2008.

UPDATE:The politico has the full story here.

Video-The Politico: Rudy Giulliani Late Start

Nicole Collins reports on Rudi Giuliani's late start in early voting states - where he leads in the polls despite his lack of social conservative values

Video-Situation Room: McCain v. Obama on Iraq

Blog The Vote- McCain on Iraq

“Democrats, who deny our soldiers the means to prevent an American defeat, have chosen another road,” McCain says in prepared remarks. “It may appear to be the easier course of action but it is a much more reckless one, and it earns them no credit even if it gives them an advantage in the next election. This is an historic choice, with ramifications for Americans not yet born.”

The Politico has the full story here.

Political Cartoon-The Problems of the Internet

Hillary Clinton's Iraq Vote

The Presidential campaign has caused the candidates to reexamine their position on the war in Iraq in the present tense and past tense. Sen. Barack Obama has said that he would not have voted for the war, if he were in the senate. Sen. John Edwards has written an op-ed in the Washington Post, in which he opens with the words "I was wrong." The question on Democratic primary voters is why hasn't Presidential front runner Hillary Clinton apologized for her vote.

Sen. Clintons position for the past several months is that she made the right vote at the time. She said "My decision is influenced by my eight years of experience on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue in the White House, watching my husband deal with serious challenges to our nation. I want this president, or any future president, to be in the strongest possible position to lead our country in the United Nations or in war," explaining her position on the war.

Some believe that Sen. Clintons belief was not a political move but a philosophical belief which she holds deeply. Michael Crowley of The National Republic writes, about an October 10 meeting that Sen. Clinton had with the Council on Foreign Relations. There, in the midst of race for Senate, she took a Presidential position on Foreign Policy.

She discussed that the U.S. should lead coalitions and alliances against such things as poverty, AIDS, and repression. The Senator outlined her belief in the use of force as follows;

There is a refrain ... that we should intervene with force only when we face splendid little wars that we surely can win, preferably by overwhelming force in a relatively short period of time. To those who believe we should become involved only if it is easy to do, I think we have to say that America has never and should not ever shy away from the hard task if it is the right one.

This statement sounds like a Republican to me. I think her vote in 2002 was justified according to the information presented to her. I think it takes a strong person to standby there vote, and that is what she is trying to do rather then back peddle. By no means does this mean I support Senator Clinton, but I do believe she has done the right thing in this situation. Unlike Senator Barack Obama, I would have voted for the war but I believe it has become a mismanaged war by our President, furthermore I believe it is our responsibility to the Iraqi people to fix the problems that we have created in that country. Which is both in our interest and there interest.

What do you think?

Political Cartoon-Civil War: Congress vs. The White House

Political Cartoon-Campaign Fundraising: Hillary v. Obama

Democrat vs. Democrat

Sen. Carl Levin, Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman appeared on ABC's "This Week." He went against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, the Senate "will not stop paying for the Iraq war or relent from insisting that President Bush keep pressing the Baghdad government for a negotiated end to the violence," Sen. Levin said.

Sen. Levin has spent the past few years arguing against the war and calling for a complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. Michael Crowley at The Plank believes the Senate Democrats are attempting to play to the multi-personalities that makes up the Democratic party. He says "Are Reid and Levin playing a game of good cop, bad cop? Reid stokes up the base while Levin covers the right flank?"

I would have to agree with Mr. Crowley that the democrats are extremely disunited and that the party leaders recognize this flaw. Therefore they need to play to be able to play to the different parts of the party. They were able to do this in the 2006 Midterm Elections by nominating several moderate democrats and being able to get the Democratic party to unite behind these candidates, they continue to try to play to the overall moderate base by taking multiple positions on key issues.

What do you think?

Apologies for Slavery

I do not want to sound crude when I discuss the new apologies for slavery, but when it was discussed on the New Republic I felt it was an important issue to discuss.

I agree that individual state governments and the federal government should pass resolutions expressing regret and apologies for the institution of slavery. However, I have overheard some discussion of "slavery reparations," I disagree with this idea for one main reason. I do not believe that there is one living individual who was enslaved. Families are able to trace their lineage to former slaves, however they did not suffer and they therefore do not deserve to be paid for others suffering.

Our country and government has larger problems, and handing out money to families of former slaves is not going to change anything. I personally believe this just another way for people to make money off our government, that could be put to good use.