My prediction about the election.

[[AK]Gunny Highway]

Recognizing the contributions of veterans and improving the quality of life of those disabled as a result of their service is a national responsibility. When President Bush took office, the number of claims waiting to be processed had soared to over 600,000, mainly because of expanded benefits that increased the number of claims in need of review. As a result, many veterans were waiting an average of over 230 days for a claim to be processed. One of the President’s top priorities was to reduce this processing time, and VA established a goal of 100 days. The Administration immediately launched and completed a top-to-bottom review of the process and implemented changes to improve the system. VA trained nearly 1,800 employees in proper claims processing procedures, and specialized teams were set up to process claims for those older veterans who had been waiting the longest. Uniform measurement tools were set up to evaluate quality and timeliness, and employee evaluations were re-designed to hold personnel accountable for meeting the President’s goal. Further, VA worked with both DOD and the National Records Center in St. Louis to expedite the exchange of information needed to adjudicate claims. As a result, the number of days to process a claim dropped to 156 at the close of 2003 and is on target to drop to the 100 days goal in 2004. By 2005, VA spending on this program will be 50 percent more than four years earlier.

Entire article here Faster processing and almost 50% budget increase, damn him that's not good enough.

[Slaughter]

Their policy is to create an atmosphere of fear to remain in control of the population, when in reality the greatest danger we all face in our lives is probably driving on the interstate.

Do you REALLY believe this is their policy, or just the Liberal Biased MEDIA portraying it as such?

Personally I'm not afraid of anything... I'm young, I'm stupid, and I'll probably die before I reach the age of 30.

However I do believe that John Kerry will pull us out of Iraq and Afghanistan faster than his swearing in could take place.. While also allying us with France and adding a white flag to the White House's Flag pole. This is not a time to be focused on NOT spending money on the military, which is EXACTLY what Kerry would do. We need to get the F-22 in production, get our Nuclear Missles ready and be prepared for the worst.

If John Kerry wins this election not only will I be buying a M-16 as I stated before, but I'll also be digging a hole in the ground and making a nuclear bomb shelter... We're on the doorstep of WW3 and you BLIND Liberals need to get it through your thick skulls. If Nostradamus and other "predictionists" have said anything its that there will be a massive world war, the third, that will be nuclear and pretty much destroy the world. We evaded that in the Cold War, but there is no dealing with these new people... they want OUR blood. They want US dead. Bush is keeping them from attacking us on our soil again by attacking them on theirs.. Good tactic, because I've always said that the best Defense is a strong Offense.

You Liberal pussies need to open your eyes and focus less on domestic issues.. because we have boys over seas keeping US safe. We need to fund money to them to keep them safe, something Kerry won't do and he's proven it with his voting record.

[[AK]Sonic Boom]

You guys win. I was wrong about everything I've ever said negative about Bush. You are correct about everything. I'm now absolutely convinced.

I'm done and I'm now voting Republican across the board.

Over and out.

[Slaughter]

Wow, the sarcasm was almost convincing. Here's an idea.. you shove that condescending attitude where the sun don't shine.

[[AK]Camelwalk]

This is the most informative thread I have ever read! TY

[[AK]Gunny Highway]

You guys win. I was wrong about everything I've ever said negative about Bush. You are correct about everything. I'm now absolutely convinced.

I'm done and I'm now voting Republican across the board.

Over and out.

Sonic I am not trying to convince you to change your mind but merely provide you with a different point of view. Your not wrong for your beliefs, but neither am I. I am however someone who requires factual data to back up something and because it's in the Post of all papers doesn't convince me in the slightest. You live in the most liberal state in this country and I am sure that you hear how great a job Kerry or any other democrat for that matter would do, I don't believe in voting party lines that is just plain ignorant. I do believe in listening to someone but I will look into it and if I find that the facts are wrong or tainted I will point that out, as would you.

[[AK]Bribo]

You guys win. I was wrong about everything I've ever said negative about Bush. You are correct about everything. I'm now absolutely convinced.

I'm done and I'm now voting Republican across the board.

Over and out.

Gadzooks man! Aren't you the one that started this thread? What did you expect?

[[AK]Abaddon]

I believe Sonic said he was drunk when he posted :-)

[Slaughter]

Hmm, I believe my thread has been officially hijacked...

Nobody in either campaign is talking about a substantial victory on either side.

Clearly those of you who are predicting a substantial margin must be privy to better information (i.e. ridiculously expensive polling data) than the campaigns.

Based upon your unobtainium data... Three cheers to a landslide Republican across-the-board victory!

We should be popping the champagne now since, according to you guys, it's already in the bag. I prefer Dom Perignon, personally and will be sure to spread the word to my fellow unemployed countrymen that all is well and the economy nationwide is booming and we can afford it, particularly here in Seattle and for my best friends in Ohio.

North Korea has nukes under Bush's watch and nobody's willing to do anything about Iran, but Goddamit the world's safer since we didn't find WMD's in Iraq but that cocksucker Saddam is under wraps.

You guys have convinced me. I'm retracting everything negative I've ever said about GWB and the cowboy doctrine.

I'm sorry I ever doubted the Homeland Security hysteria, because I now know that making money for myself and my aging parents isn't really that important in the context of the new world order where terrorists are lurking around every corner and will blow me up if I dissent from the erosion of my liberty.

Why do I need Liberty anyway? The Republicans are here to protect me.

From here on out, I'm going to follow the Republican party line.

It's a good thing that we gut the FCC and consolidate media ownership into the hands of the powerful corporate few, all the better to consolidate the electorate with.

It's also good thing that we hire corporate lobbyists from the energy industry to write the nations energy policy. Any regulation that costs the oil industry profit must be bad by definition.

We also can't forget our God constituency, they need to have key positions dictating national science policy.

But wait! There's more! Last month seemed to be as good a month as any to propose opening untouched, pristine national forests to oil drilling, old-growth timber clear cutting, and mineral strip mining. Unfortunately this plan for progress was derailed until after the election after two million citizens complained to their elected representatives. Damn them! We'll just have to slide it by under the radar after the election.

You guys are right. I have no idea why I shouldn't be a Republican. After all, since I make under $200k a year, I got a $350 tax break last year, which I'm gong to start a business with.

You win. I concede defeat. You've finally beaten me down. Whatever could I have been thinking?

After all, as a small business owner, I'm getting all kinds of relief from the Republicans whereas Kerry wants to tax all low-dollar businesses and households into oblivion and transfer 100% of the country's tax dollars away from the entire defense and national intelligence budget and funnel it straight into welfare ghetto mothers wombs to make their offspring wealthy.

Since the North Koreans now have nuclear weapons under Bush's watch and Iran is getting pretty close, I know I can count on the Crawford Cowboy to go after them an kick ass, since the policy has worked so well on our dry run against a tinpot dictator.

I'm going to vote Republican right down the ticket. You guys win.

Whatever could I have been thinking?

I believe he was just talking about this part of the thread yesterday when he was referring to having been drunk..

[Ages]

I believe George Bush will win, it won't be a landslide and it won't be as close as the polling data is making it out to be.

Imho we are making progress in the war on terror, it may not be fast enough for some people but we as a nation knew going in that this was going to take time and strong resolve. I'm voting for George Bush because I don't believe that John Kerry is sincerely interested in serving anyone.

I saw an interesting thing occur on Hannity and Colmes the other night. Sean Hannity asked Geraldine Ferraro if she could name "ONE" piece of legislation that John Kerry sponsored, developed and that actually passed that had benefited anyone over the twenty year period that he has been a Senator. She could not come up with "ONE" piece of legislation that came from Kerry. The question had been premised with Geraldine Ferraro indicating that she had known John Kerry for many years while he was in the Senate.

This is a major problem imho. How can you have worked in the Senate for twenty years and not have sponsored at least "One" meaninigful piece of legislation? Its beyond me how anyone could even consider this guy to be a legitimate candidate for the Presidency.

[[AK]Choozoo]

I'm a firm believer that there will be a winner.

[[AK]Squidly]

Time to revisit some predictions....

I'd sworn off this forum for quite awhile but thought I'd do a random drive-by with my prediction, starting the morning of November 6th.

All year long, this race has been too close to call. Millions of dollars later and only one month to go, its probably going to remain that way.

If you thought Bush losing the popular vote and getting elected by a still-disputed 547 vote margin in Florida was interesting, you ain't seen nothin' yet.

I predict that the election will be close enough in numerous states to elicit both sides to initiate massive recounts and legal challenges. Both sides have enlisted armies of attorneys nationwide and already have in place legal Überteams to contest razor-thin statewide elections.

I predict that it will be the ugliest, most decisive post-election in American history and that it will occupy and divide the nation's attention for months with agonizing challenges from both sides.

I hope I'm wrong, but I have a feeling that this election is going to be an absolute mess, with the looming spectre of a possible delay of the inauguration. Ultimately, Democracy will survive and hopefully be strengthened, but it may signal the beginning of the end of the Electoral College.

Although I've rarely seen eye-to-eye politically with most August Knights, we can agree that we all love our country; we just differ on our views on how to make it better.

Once again, I hope I'm wrong but if I'm not, you heard it here first.

Fortunately, none of this happened.

Here was my prediction:

I predict a Republican victory, one that won't be particularly close.

I also predict that that the loony left will spontaneously combust in a flurry of wild claims and conspiracy theories. They've already set the stage with nonsensical statements by functional idiots like President Carter. The media will give this minority a disproportionate amount of attention.

Well I think I nailed it with the first sentence. Fortunately I was off with the second paragraph. Some of the lefty bloggers are spazzing out, but the celebrities and the Michael Moore's of the world have been pretty sedate all things considered. Perhaps in another week or so we'll begin to hear some feedback.

[[AK]The Beast]

I think we can thank Senator Kerry for the silence of the way-way-way-left. He recognized when he was beaten and conceded with class and dignity. For the radicals to come out complaining now would only make them look bad.

[[AK]Abaddon]

Amen to that, Beast. Kerry showed true class when he conceded, and no reputable sources are spouting conspiracy theories. Instead, we have the media and libs lamenting how racist, bigoted and intolerant the red states are. Waaaaaaaaa. That will win them more votes in '06 for sure.

There's some conspiracy whackos going full-force on Democratic Underground about rigged touch-screen voting machines, but no one is listening to them except a few similar nut jobs.

Admittedly the rash of stories in the news about how depressed the left is, and about possible mass-emigration to Canada, has been heartwarming. Purchaser, they are headed your way!