Us presidential election 2004

[ozanzac 0]

I hear that despite Kerry blaming Bush for outsourcing jobs to other countries, Heinz actually has 26 manufacturing plants outside the US itself. Is this fact or fiction?

Probably fact.

Food however, should not come under the same umbrella of outsourcing as say, car parts.

They're not really 'outsourcing' because many of the Heinz food products not made in America would ever find their way back to American shelves for American consumption.

Instead, it should be seen as globalising.

[blackdog~ 0]

I guess what I really should be asking then is how many plants do they have in Canada and Mexico, along with the US? Because you make it sound like they only have a single plant in the US in PA.

[Gollum1 0]

I guess what I really should be asking then is how many plants do they have in Canada and Mexico, along with the US? Because you make it sound like they only have a single plant in the US in PA.

Google search of Heinz plants

[blackdog~ 0]

Thanks for clearing that up. But it looks like the plant in Taiwan makes Heinz baby foods so they still accounts for a large bit of the company.

I need to go to sleep.

[ozanzac 0]

Thanks for clearing that up. But it looks like the plant in Taiwan makes Heinz baby foods so they still accounts for a large bit of the company.

If you’re really that concerned for American jobs. When buying packaged food, or anything for that matter. Check where it was made and where the ingredients/components came from before purchasing.

All it should require is a little reading of the back of the label, not that hard if it otherwise tears up ones conscience.

In other news, Triple J, my usual radio station, was chatting with a Republican party official of some sort and managed to get the official to reveal that the Australian Prime Ministers son, Richard Howard. Is in America working for the Bush campaign trail!

Brown Nosing at it's best!?

[denoir 0]

About the Heinz thingie.. I really don't see the relevance. Teresa Heinz Kerry does not run the company, and her husband certainly has nothing to do with it. And stopping the outsourcing of jobs to third world countries isn't done by appealing to the good heart of the companies. It is by creating such a business atmosphere where it will be more profitable for the companies to stay in the US. The Heinz company does what every other company does: sees to maximize its profit. If you don't like the situation today, then don't vote for Bush again but for somebody that will create a more favourable corporate climate in the US. It's as simple as that.

About the protectionist issue, it's a difficult one. Personally I think it is temporary. Jobs get exported because of cheaper labour in Asia. But that ain't going to last forever. Their living standards are improving and their populations want a better material quality of life. In a global market, the prices are globally regulated. A Jaguar costs as much in China as it does in the US - so if you want to afford one, you'll need a higher pay. As their material standards get more equal to the western ones, so will their wages and hence the raison d'etre for the exporting of jobs will vanish.

There are more serious issues with globalization - such as the fact that we just in the western world use more natural resources than what is sustainable. When second and third world countries aspire to the same material standards as we have - then we have a serious problem. There are simply not enough natural resources on this earth to maintain our current lifestyle. So some serious changes will have to be made there.

[Balschoiw 0]

While the Reps argue about ketchup they take away the focus from Climate Change, Iraq, Jobless, Kyoto, Pollution...

What a nice way to run a campaign.

What the hell does Heinz have to do with the upcoming president of the US ?

Have you forgotten what Bush did prior his famous career as the funniest man alive ? He was directly involved in a huge mountain of dubios business deals but hey, ketchup it is ?

And only to remind you Kerry is not involved in Ketchup business, while Cheney ,Bush , Rice and a lot of others were directly involved in multibillion scandals.

But that doesn´t matter much, right ?

[walker 0]

Hi all

The Democratic convention has focussed on healing the US from the divisions of the last four years. The Democrats are concerned with bringing hope to the darkness of America's recent past.

The Democrats under John F. Kerry want to unite America once again that is why they are trying to bring America back to a politics that brings people together rather than divides them as Al Qaida would wish.

I think America once again has to concentrate on being one nation and not a splintered fractured country; divied up by focus groups, religious and ethnic strife, petty bickering and name calling for the benefit of the big corporations seeking a segmeted market and a segmented country.

The nation needs to unite under one leader and the only person in the race wants to do that is John F. Kerry.

Kind Regards Walker

[billybob2002 0]

Quote[/b] ]The Democratic convention has focussed on healing the US from the divisions of the last four years. The Democrats are concerned with bringing hope to the darkness of America's recent past.

The Democrats under John F. Kerry want to unite America once again that is why they are trying to bring America back to a politics that brings people together rather than divides them as Al Qaida would wish.

I think America once again has to concentrate on being one nation and not a splintered fractured country; divied up by focus groups, religious and ethnic strife, petty bickering and name calling for the benefit of the big corporations seeking a segmeted market and a segmented country.

The nation needs to unite under one leader and the only person in the race wants to do that is John F. Kerry.

He cannot truly unite the country on the issues...Anyway, is not uniting a goal for both parties.....

[Balschoiw 0]

Quote[/b] ]He cannot truly unite the country on the issues...

Why not ? At least he seems to try it while Bush does not try that. He tries to get people on his line but doesn´t try to unite the US population. His will is his line and anyone who doesn´t fit his line is declared "un-american".

I don´t want to talk about his reputation abroad. He was the one who divided the world more than any other US president in the 20th century.

[theavonlady 2]

At least he seems to try it while Bush does not try that. He tries to get people on his line but doesn´t try to unite the US population. His will is his line and anyone who doesn´t fit his line is declared "un-american".

Look who's talking!

Quote[/b] ]“We need to turn back some of the creeping,

un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits

that are coming into some of our politicsâ€

Teresa Heinz Kerry, July 25

[billybob2002 0]

Quote[/b] ]Why not ? At least he seems to try it while Bush does not try that. He tries to get people on his line but doesn´t try to unite the US population. His will is his line and anyone who doesn´t fit his line is declared "un-american".

I don´t want to talk about his reputation abroad. He was the one who divided the world more than any other US president in the 20th century.

The reason is this country is too diverse. On some of the issues maybe but majority not..

[Balschoiw 0]

You may be a woman Avon ,but that doesn´t mean that Teresa is running for president. It´s her husband as far as I know and yes the Rep´s are well known for their mud throwing and yes that is what can be considered un-american as it hinders the country, the people of the country and it´s reputation abroad.

Yes, the current government is Un-american or can you say it stood up for the american citizens in an american way ?

All that name-calling you happily celebrate will only make us more laugh at the US sense of policy and how the citizens happily jump on the bandwagon of intellectual lows.

If I watch a president who tells his folks that Iraq is no big problem and all is steady running, that there is no global warming and Kyoto is bullshit I have to check the channel to make sure I´ve not accidentally landed in the Muppet´s show or a religious moneymaking show. Sorry, but he´s just too stupid and the best is that he obviously can sell his nonsense to a part of the USA.

Disturbing and worrying when I see what the results are. And we all, the whole planet shares the results of this warmonger.

Thank you very much.

[walker 0]

He cannot truly unite the country on the issues...Anyway, is not uniting a goal for both parties.....

Hi billybob2002

No one can unite the country on the issues they are politics. They are what you discuss and vote on and the discussion are lively and heated and even argumentative and angry.

Those are the issues and that is what you discuss.

What divides people as Hitler and Geobels knew was saying Jews had big noses no brains that they were uttermension.

What divides people is saying dont those people at Nasa look goofy in there white suits. Hey look I used to wear clean room gear when I worked as an engineer it was so non of the dust and sweat that comes off every human body got on to the high voltage circuit breakers we made. One spec of dust on those circuit breakers would have made them produce enough X Rays to kill anyone within 30 feet and not behind a lead wall in seconds but hey I looked goofy in my white suit just like the people who work at Nasa who wear those white suits to prevent the accedents like those that killed the heroic crew of Chalenger.

What divides people as the Ku Klux Klan know is saying blacks smell and look like monkeys and we all hate them dont we.

What divides people is making up a video to make it look like two candidates are kissing cause everyone knows gays and what are like and we all hate them dont we.

What divides people as Al Qaida knows is saying women are the property of men and should be seen but never heard.

What divides people is saying a woman is opinionated because she dares to express an opinion or that she tells an obnoxious oaf to "Shove it"

And why are these things divisive because they attack people and not the issues.

Fine if the person is part of the issue, if they support an issue that is against yours attack them on the issue but remember it is the issue your attacking not the person. If your attacking a person's corruption that is OK your attacking on the issue not the person. If their view on an issue is hypocritical attack them on the issue of hypocracy.

Attacking a person on the clothes they wear, the colour of their skin, their sexual preferences, their religion, their gender, the fact they have an opinion, or politics.

Those are just descrimination and you descriminate by dividing people as Hitler, the Ku Klux Klan and Al Qaida did.

Kind Regards Walker

[billybob2002 0]

Quote[/b] ]What divides people is saying dont those people at Nasa look goofy in there white suits. Hey look I used to wear clean room gear when I worked as an engineer it was so non of the dust and sweat that comes off every human body got on to the high voltage circuit breakers we made. One spec of dust on those circuit breakers would have made them produce enough X Rays to kill anyone within 30 feet and not behind a lead wall in seconds but hey I looked goofy in my white suit just like the people who work at Nasa who wear those white suits to prevent the accedents like those that killed the heroic crew of Chalenger.

Then the democrats are dividers too because they came out showing a picture of Bush wearing asian clothes (to make fun of him, and to counter Kerry's picture).

Quote[/b] ]What divides people as the Ku Klux Klan know is saying blacks smell and look like monkeys and we all hate them dont we.

People make fun of Bush because they say he looks like a monkey. Also, calling him stupid. I never heard about the smell part (I only heard that used against another group of people)

Quote[/b] ]What divides people is making up a video to make it look like two candidates are kissing cause everyone knows gays and what are like and we all hate them dont we.

A joke? Even Kerry joked around by saying he "missed" Edwards.

Quote[/b] ]

What divides people is saying a woman is opinionated because she dares to express an opinion or that she tells an obnoxious oaf to "Shove it"

You must be a divider because you keep calling Cheney foul mouth because he expressed his opinion about a guy who was two-face.

Quote[/b] ]

Attacking a person on the clothes they wear, the colour of their skin, their sexual preferences, their religion, their gender, the fact they have an opinion, or politics.

Sounds like democrats, too...

[denoir 0]

At least he seems to try it while Bush does not try that. He tries to get people on his line but doesn´t try to unite the US population. His will is his line and anyone who doesn´t fit his line is declared "un-american".

Look who's talking!

Quote[/b] ]“We need to turn back some of the creeping,

un-Pennsylvanian and sometimes un-American traits

that are coming into some of our politicsâ€

   Teresa Heinz Kerry, July 25

She isn't calling people un-American, but traits that are evident in today's US politics. Calling people "un-American" is for instance one of them.

[walker 0]

Hi billybob2002

Then the democrats are dividers too because they came out showing a picture of Bush wearing asian clothes (to make fun of him, and to counter Kerry's picture).

Err! can you give us a link to your picture or is this like the recording of the speach by John Kerry's wife? I always like to see things in context. Then you get the truth.

People make fun of Bush because they say he looks like a monkey. Also, calling him stupid. I never heard about the smell part (I only heard that used against another group of people)

I have never called him a monkey not once.

If a person wants to be president he had better be educated because he has to deal with complex issues. If he has not the ability to comprehend the issues he is dangerous, and it is a perfectly valid issue to argue on and to question him on.

Witness if he can not judge between good and bad intelligence or if he does not know the geography of the world or its politcs. Most of all the key factor is whether he is intelligent enough to act in an emergency defence issue.

I remind you there is film of him freezing cold solid with fear while the US is attacked on 9/11 for a full 20 minutes. He did not even make a defensive order for a total of 34 minutes. If China had a mind too it could wipe the US off the face of the earth in 20 minutes, with nothing more than a wimper from George Bush Jnr. in reply.

What happens if Al Qaida attacks with chemicals or bio weapons will he take another 34 minutes to act? Presidents have to be decisive.

As to smell I was refering to a documentry about the Klan and nazism in the US by Louis Thereox. It was something you heard the Klan people saying and showed their mentality.

A joke? Even Kerry joked around by saying he "missed" Edwards.

A joke based on homophobia.

As to Kerry defending himself by negating the homophobia with him esentialy saying if he was gay it would make no difference and by stating that he allied himself with them, good for John F. Kerry. I remember white guys saying Jah me Lion to piss off racists when I used to go on marches against the Nazis.

You must be a divider because you keep calling Cheney foul mouth because he expressed his opinion about a guy who was two-face.

I call Dodgy Dick Cheyney Foul mouthed because he is foul mouthed, it is fact, but I have never called him opinionated it would not even occur to me.

Quote[/b] ]

Attacking a person on the clothes they wear, the colour of their skin, their sexual preferences, their religion, their gender, the fact they have an opinion, or politics.

Sounds like democrats, too...

Err then how come the Democrats have spent the whole convention so far arguing the issues and not attacking personalities. So much so that you say they are on Prozac.

When Ron Reagan says he wants to see Stem Cell research; the NeoConMen come up with Oh he and his mother have lost their moral compass because his father died of Altzheimers. The idea that they have a moral and reasoned argument on the issue is ignored by the NeoConMen who want the world divided into religious beleifs.

When the democrats want to talk about maintaining jobs in the US by giving tax cuts those companies that keep their jobs in the US rather than paying tax cuts those that take them out of the US what do the NeoConMen come up with the Heinz Company has factories ouside the US.

Well John Kerry dont run Heinz, Kerry's wife uses her fortune to help charities and the companies Heinz own produce food for their local markets to their taste and in many cases the bought up brands and factories local to the country they sell in.

So now can we get off the personality attacks and start dealing with America's Defecit, the Failed Iraq war, redirecting the US defence to the real enemy which is Al Qaida and ensuring the US has a commander in chief who can command against any more 9/11s.

It is obvious to anybody that the only man for the Job is John F. Kerry

Kind regards Walker

[billybob2002 0]

will answer in two hours or so....public transportation is a bitch...

[walker 0]

Hi all

Here is a little more of that excelent Speach by Barack Obama.

I am still trying to find a video of the whole thing.

http://chicagotv.feedroom.com/index.j...._band=x

Kind Regards Walker

[walker 0]

Hi all

Just found the Full Length Video of the Barack Obama speach.

Like many I see him as a future president of the USA he speaks with a power of Oratory I can only compare to the best of Dr. Martin Luther King with shades of Bob Dylan and vintage Clinton thrown in.

Watch it! It requires Real Media.

http://www.c-span.org/2004vot....CD=DEMS

You can see more links to the speach and learn more about Barack Obama on the ObamaBlog

http://www.obamablog.com/index.php

Kind Regards Walker

[Schoeler 0]

Hi all

Just found the Full Length Video of Barack Obama speach.

Like many I see him as a future president of the USA he speaks with a power of Oratory I can only compare to the best of Dr. Martin Luther King with shades of Bob Dylan and vintage Clinton thrown.

Watch it! It requires Real Media.

http://www.c-span.org/2004vot....CD=DEMS

You can see more links to the speach and learn more about Barack Obama on the ObamaBlog

http://www.obamablog.com/index.php

Kind Regards Walker

Obama gave an excellent speech. He is truly the future of the Democratic party and that future is bright. He'll make an excellent Senator and I see him going even farther too. Maybe an Edwards-Obama ticket in 2012?

[Schoeler 0]

Hey Billybob, since you seem equally concerned about the issues and equally upset about the negativity, tell me, what is it about Bush that brings him your support?

What have you seen him do for the country in the last four years that makes you want to give him his job back for another four?

I'm truly interested in why people want to vote for this man, I just can't fathom anyone thinking he has done a good enough job to deserve re-election.

Also, your support on the flip-flopping thing was hardly substantial.  Kerry reversed his opinion on affirmative action after 12 years?  Do you feel exactly the same about everything you believed in 12 years ago?

How about the fact that less than four years ago, Bush adamantly expressed his belief the United States should not engage in nation building?

That's one hell of a big flip.

You second quote has Kerry initially criticizing the first President Bush's interests in GW1 and saying he didn't think the coalition organized would hold together over the strength of those interests, and then later saying he applauded Bush for putting together an international coalition before acting.  Not exactly a flip flop.

How about George Bush the second saying he would "leave no child behind" and then approving the cutting of funding to that program thus leaving many children behind to the outrage of educators across the nation?

There is a giant flop.

The thing is, ALL politicians change their position on various issues over time, even your beloved President Bush.  They change them as circumstances change and I would expect them to.  The ability to change your mind, grow in your knowledge and adjust your opinion to what you have learned or adapt with changing circumstances is a fundamental and crucial aspect of the human condition.  It insures our ability to learn, adapt and survive, to develop and perservere and to achieve the things we have achieved.  I don't see why that quality, the ability to change one's mind or grow one's opinion is characterized as negative by Republicans even when they do it themselves.  How can maintaining a narrow-minded and unflinching worldview and insisting on retaining a stance even though that stance is failing terribly, and then refusing to apologize when that failure becomes obvious to everyone be seen as strength of character?

The fact that the President doesn't change his mind and doesn't admit mistakes frankly scares the hell out of me and is a larger part of the reason I'm voting for Kerry.

[walker 0]

Hi all

We need to start talking about the issues.

I think the steps John Kerry has proposed to sort out Home Land Security and to prevent terrorism ever again breaching the shores of America would be a good first step.

Quote[/b] ]The most basic responsibility of a president is defending our homeland.

We've seen some progress in making America more secure since September 11 - but there is still much more to be done. Today our government is not doing enough to make us safe. Our intelligence services remain fragmented and lack coordination. Our borders and ports are full of holes. Our chemical plants are vulnerable to attack. And across America, police officers, firefighters, and other first responders still lack the information, gear, and equipment to do their jobs safely and successfully.

America needs a new strategy for homeland security that takes steps as big as the threats we face. John Kerry and John Edwards have that strategy. They will do whatever it takes to make America safe - coordinate our intelligence agencies, take action on all key fronts, stand up for security whenever special interests stand in the way, and get the needed resources to the first responders who defend America every day.

John Kerry and John Edwards will offer a new security strategy that addresses five major challenges:

Track And Stop Terrorists

Many of the intelligence problems that allowed terrorists to slip into our country before 9/11 have not been addressed. John Kerry and John Edwards will improve our ability to gather, analyze, and share information so we can track down and stop terrorists before they cause harm.

Protect Our Borders And Shores

Today, our borders, our ports, and our airports are not as secure as they must be. John Kerry and John Edwards will make our airports, seaports, and borders more secure without intruding upon personal liberties.

Harden Vulnerable Targets

Chemical industry lobbying has kept the Bush administration from strengthening security at chemical plants, where an attack could endanger 1 million Americans. John Kerry and John Edwards will always put Americans' safety ahead of big business interests and take strong measures to harden likely targets-including nuclear plants, trains, and subways-against possible attack.

Improve Domestic Readiness

Our first defenders will respond to any attack with courage and heroism-but they also need the equipment and manpower to do the job. John Kerry and John Edwards will back up their words with resources and ensure that America's first responders have everything they need to protect their communities.

Guard Liberty.

We must always remember that terrorists do not just target our lives - they target our way of life. John Kerry and John Edwards believe in an America that is safe and free, and they will protect our personal liberties as well as our personal security.

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/homeland_security/

John Kerry has already proven himself to be hero and commander who can act in an emergency.

He has voluteered for 2 terms in harms way and has served heroically and with proven valor.

The US needs a President who wont freeze in terror when the terrorists strike.

Kind Regards Walker

[shinRaiden 0]

Then how come neither Kerry nor Edwards showed up for their security briefing from Tom Ridge? Even if he had nothing to say, they could still claim they were dutifully being informed and concerned about security, instead of just showing up and wondering what is going on.

That's why Bush kept Richard Clarke and Sandy Berger over, since he figured that since they were in charge, they ought to be informed and competent. But the parts that were broken were preparing briefings saying that they were not broken, so why go and mess with something if it is working?

But now that we know that there is issues, there is no excuse for blindly assuming that the folks running the show know what they are doing. Ironically, it is congress that can dictate to the administration, and demand accountablity, but they have abdicated in favor of prostitution to the media, especially Kerry and Edwards. Send the wives out stumping, you won't lose as many poll points, and do what you swore an oath to do.

Furthermore, the 9/11 commission's finding of the need for a single intelligence czar; that was what Richard Clarke was supposed to be doing, and what could be rolled under Tom Ridge's umbrella. So they were attempting to exonerate Richard Clarke, steal via relabeling one of Bush's ideas, and undo the damage done by Jamie Gorelick, a commission member. A throughly typical DC scamjob, and the public was suckas to fall for it, but then again there wasn't much else worth watching on TV.

Now even Osama's brother Yeselam Binladin is saying Michael Moore made up all sorts of crap, in trying to link Osama and Bush. What do you expect, when the guy looks like the chump who was the actor-standin for Jabba the Hutt in the directors cut of Star Wars ep. 4.?

[billybob2002 0]

Quote[/b] ]Err then how come the Democrats have spent the whole convention so far arguing the issues and not attacking personalities. So much so that you say they are on Prozac.

Compare Gore speech to previous speeches made by him and Kennedy's speeches while in the Senate, .

Quote[/b] ]

It is obvious to anybody that the only man for the Job is John F. Kerry

Come on, now...

Quote[/b] ]

Err! can you give us a link to your picture or is this like the recording of the speach by John Kerry's wife? I always like to see things in context. Then you get the truth.

cannot find it