Republicans and Democrats spend the same amount of money, it is what they vote to spend it on that makes the difference. Republicans spend and vote on corporations and "things", Democrats spend on people. BIG DIFFERENCE! I thought about this after reading Ted "Joe McCarthy" Cruz talking about Net Neutrality.

BTW Grand Daddy died in 1976. The more things change the more they stay the same.

You see all of these polls that show people are in favor of gay marriage by a large margin, do not want their education dictated by religious institutions, believe in separation of church and state but yet when it comes to electing the morons who vote against what the majority wants, they vote for them!!!!

So much angst down here in Oklahoma over the AP History curriculum bill put forward by a Baptist minister who got elected to the legislature and runs around dressed like a Patriot from the 1700's, but somebody voted for this nut! I have even talked to Republicans here who can't believe what they are seeing out of him and Sally Kern, but when push comes to shove they vote straight ticket Republican. It is almost like they are unable to ever vote for another party or become informed about what the candidate and the party stand for.

There have been Democrats here I have not been able to vote for because I could not handle their views on issues I care about. I left it blank because the alternative candidate was worse. I have voted for Republicans, back in Illinois where there were some moderates that I could handle. Those do not exist any longer.

People voting against their own interests and ideals.

I DON'T GET IT!!!!

This morning I saw two people in their 50's almost get into a fist fight at breakfast in a small mom and pop restaurant. The topic, the death of 3 Muslim students in North Carolina. I did not hear all of it, but what I heard was Fox talking points, some from Rush and the other man trying to speak about how not all Muslim's are violent crazy people, any more than thinking all Christians burn abortion clinics and kill doctors. It did not take long for dishes to hit the floor and a couple of other men close by came in to calm the situation down.

It seems like all of us are on the edge all the time. Financial pressure, the way the world is at this moment when fueled by tv and radio nuts on both sides keep this country and others a spark away from explosion.

We have a violent past as a nation, the way African Americans were lynched and burned leading up to the civil rights movement, and since. The way Native Americans were treated and are treated. Violent reaction to things we don't like is not limited to Muslim countries.

These two men, looked like my Dad at that age, just normal guys out for breakfast. What a mess.

As nasty and confrontational as this place can be, it is full of people who deeply care about America and the world. I hope all of of you have a wonderful holiday no matter which one you are celebrating, even if you are celebrating none of them, I wish you Peace and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Peace to the world, now and in the future.

I am a white mid western girl transplanted to Oklahoma. I have been a diversity trainer, on the side, for almost 20 years. I openly admit that from time to time even I make what might be called cultural mistakes, but they are not made with anger, they are made due to ignorance of the feelings and life experience of others.

We were raised to respect all people, Mom would not tolerate injustice, always expected us to treat people as we would want to be treated.

The past 6 years since President Obama was elected, the serious racists have come out from under their rocks to attack all Black people. Disrespect abounds, no Black person is safe from their hatred and intolerance. What has been interesting to me is that I have found that Black friends of mine, many who I have had for years, some since undergrad, have become so angry with the system that they are looking at every white person with the same hatred, no exceptions.

I find I am afraid to talk with them about anything of substance for fear of offending them and have them accuse me of being intolerant. It really hurts me to lose some friends I have loved for so long. We have sat in my living and argued about tons of things, including race relations over the years, but still came away friends. I don't sense that is possible any longer and it makes me sad.

I taught a diversity class last week that came close to blows. It was a group who all work together and have for some time. According to their boss, the racial dynamics have been getting worse by the day for the past 6 years. I can tell you I have never led a group like that one. The minute I brought up white privilege the place was up for grabs, screaming and hollering at each other, talking, no screaming about Ferguson and Wilson being set up and treated unfairly. One young Black woman in the back of the room held her own in the "discussion" but it escalated to the point that one older Black lady asked if she could be excused because she was "fearful".

Once I got control again, we went on to other exercises but the room was full of tension. I suggested to the owner of the business that he may want to bring in a professional mediator to try and help the situation.

The divisions are worse than I have ever seen, I said a few years ago I felt a civil war was very possible and was pretty much shut down here on DU, how do you feel now? Have any of your opinions regarding race changed?

We aren't buying much this year and you can blame the Republicans for it. Since the anti science contingent won the Senate we are terrified my husband's NIH grant will not be renewed and his biomedical research will come to a screeching halt. It has been said that only research that is applicable to homeland security or the military will get funded, we hope that is a rumor, but it makes sense with the neocons in control. Without it, we do not have any summer salary, it will cost us a quarter of our income. We have heard all kinds of rumors, his NIH and NSF both are up for renewal in 2015.

The graduate students who work in his lab will not have a salary either. Not enough summer teaching next summer to make up for it. We are terrified, only spending what we have to. He is looking at some corporate and private support just in case, but it is like living on thin ice. He has written 4 grants in the last 6 months to various agencies, he works so hard, he worries about his students as much as worrying about us, I've never been so frightened.

I don't know why anyone would be an academic in a hard science these days. He loves teaching and he loves his research, he does lots of outreach to high schools but it is a challenge to pay the student loans and keep moving.

I had a fairly good outcome from my fusion of L5 S1 about 4 years ago. Yes I still have some pain, but I manage it with PT and meds. Going in I needed two canes to walk, now I don't need a cane most of the time, I know I am blessed.

Lately, I have been having more pain above the fusion, I was warned that this was possible at some point. I have spondilolithesis (sp) so I know the drill. But I am terrified of another fusion, even with the good outcome it did me in, forced me to quit a job I really liked and I don't want to go through it again.

Have any of you, had a second fusion? How long after the first one did you have the second? My husband flips out anytime I have a bad day saying "here we go, another fusion"....

Any experience you could share would be appreciated.

I live in a VERY red state, Oklahoma, in a VERY red precinct. This morning while I was waiting to vote I overheard an elderly man ask an election judge how you "split the ticket". He went on to tell her he had always voted a straight republican ticket and had no idea how to vote otherwise. She explained to him how to go down the ballot and vote for each race individually. He smiled, took his ballot and was behind the little boxed in area for quite a while. He then came out with his walker and deposited his ballot in the machine.

I was done voting and followed him out. I asked him if I could ask a question and he said yes, I asked him why he was changing the way he voted and he told me he had "had enough", whatever that means. I can only hope he voted against Mary Fallin for governor and against the nut we have for a state representative, but I'll never know.

With all of my canvassing this year and now this, I have at least a glimmer of hope that things may change. If it can change in this area it can change anywhere.

These ads are all the same, all they say is they hate Obama, they hate Washingon and their opponent loves them both.

I always find it odd that they hate Washington but if we have a huge tornado here Washington is on speed dial.

Hurry up Tuesday!

My husband and I were at our favorite steak house the other night for dinner. We went after a movie so it was a late dinner and the steakhouse was not busy. We sat in our favorite section with our favorite waiter. We ordered dinner, got our glasses of wine and then noticed a very intoxicated man at the bar. He had a large gun in a holster at his hip. He kept patting it like a security blanket. The waiter told us it was a Glock (sp).

He got very loud and seemed very agitated. I became more and more uncomfortable. Finally I told my husband I couldn't sit there any longer. We left our waiter 20 dollars, left enough for our meal which had not yet arrived and left. The owner stopped us at the door and asked what was wrong, we told him. He told us there was nothing he could do that would not make the situation worse. He said he if got any louder he would call the police to deal with him. My husband told him we would not be back.

I'm sure our business doesn't mean much, this guy was very well dressed and identified himself as working for a large company that pretty much owns OKC. It does annoy me that at some point we will be staying home, locked inside afraid to go out.

I really don't get it. Was there more we could have done? The law here says they can open carry.