Riot106

The US is concerned about the growing war with Drug Cartels throughout Mexico and its effect on our borders. Drug Cartels have shown the weakness of Mexican central authority and has essentially left the northern half of Mexico without a firm government. Thus we have a deluge of drugs making their way into the US creating a very tangible social ill.

However, is it in the US' best interest to remove these Cartels or impair them to allow Mexico to reassert its dominance? If Mexico City established firm control over the whole of Mexico and rooted out corruption and put Mexico on the road to prosperity, wouldn't that be a scary scenario.

Having a nation of over 100 million people, a strong independent economy, allegiance to Mexico and a US sized chip on its shoulder could establish a counter balance of power. How would Americans feel if we knew Mexico was building tactical bombs pointed at the US?

Drug Cartels have an unintentional consequence that benefits the US; they suppress a potentially potent rival.Just a thought. What are yours?

My wife and I have had a hound mutt for two years now that we adopted from the Humane Society. We have done well training her and she is one of the more intelligent dogs we have ever had. FYI, we have not abused her in any way to train.

Every morning I get up and take her outside. She has always went to the bathroom without a problem. Recently I took her out to "go potty" an she ran to the door, excited as always, walked to the yard, sniffed a couple times, and ran back to the door trembling. She is terrified of not just going out, but of me too. She hides from me and my wife in the morning under the bed. She wont even come out to eat breakfast. This has been going on for a couple weeks now.

When I come home in the evenings, she acts normal: happy, excited and manic. It would seem something spooked her that morning and she associated me with that. This only happens in the mornings. What can I do to help her?

Obama has made it clear of what he inherited from the Bush Administration. Bush walked out of office Jan. 20, 2009 with a record high annual deficit of $454 billion. Obama also blames Bush's economic policies for causing the recession.

However, Obama was elected in 2004 and started serving in 2005. He voted for or present on every single domestic spending bill that Bush signed in his second term. So at least Obama wasn't against anything that Bush supported.

Second, Democrats took control of both Chambers of Congress in 2007. The deficits in 2007 and 2008 increased to $454 from $162 billion (most of 2007 was a bull market with the Dow peaking in October 2007). Thus Bush's last two years were a hybrid of Democrat and Republican policies.

I want to know, particularly from liberals/progressives, how culpable is Obama for the deficit and how can he honestly disassociate himself from Bush's second term?

If you believe abortion, I would like to read your conclusions on this anecdote. This is something similar to what you would see in a philosophy class.

Sally is in her second trimester. She and her husband are very excited since they had been trying for a year to get pregnant. On her way to the doctor's office for a prenatal exam, she is hit by a drunk driver. She survives but the child is lost. What is the drunk driver guilty of?

Jessica is in her second trimester and her boyfriend just left her. She reluctantly decides to get an abortion since she is no position to care for the child. On her way to the clinic, she is hit by a drunk driver. She survives but the child doesn't. What is the drunk driver guilty of?

If you believe the driver is only guilty of drunk driving, the medical bills, and the car damage in both cases you are at least consistent. But if you think that in either case, the driver is guilty of manslaughter, then why wouldn't abortion be? When do we have the right to live?

This is more of a poll.

We are borrowing and spending money like crazy which is a recipe for inflation.

We are paying a relatively high amount for gas with a retracting economy and increasing unemployment.

Interest rates are very likely to start ascending since they are very low.

All this being said, when summer comes the demand for gas rises and prices go sky high again who is to blame and what is your solution?

Keep it short and sweet.